Monopoly
by KeepItLEGIT
Summary: A girl in my English class walked up to the podium, essay in hand. "Sasuke Uchiha is an untouchable monopoly. There is one. There is no other. No one can melt his cold heart--" "Yeah, about that, great biography, but that is utter false." AU.SasuSaku
1. applesauce, meet my hate list

Monopoly

_NaruBaby2496_

* * *

"Sakura, honey; your look is A-List, but your face is making it at maximum C-List."

My eyebrow twitched angrily.

Momoko waved a hand nonchalantly. "No offense."

I had a sudden urge to rip my mirror out of my wall and hurl it toward my older sister.

Imagine what it would look like, the glass shards embed in her skin, her screaming in honest terror and blatant pain, and then…

Wait.

I don't want her disgusting Type AB blood on my sheets.

Therefore, I just settled for sneering at my reflection. She had dressed me up like some super slut mega-doll, something that is, in some ways, notable, seeing as you can't do much with a uniform.

Or, so I thought.

She'd put me in the school's skirt, a normally passable length red and white plaid-like pattern skirt with semi-trendy creases. Instead of it stopping a couple inches above my knees, Momoko—the devil-hatched-from-an-egg-of-a-sister—had searched and searched through old boxes full of our uniforms from past years and pulled out a skirt of hers from her freshman year.

Momoko had always been shorter than I am, whereas I'm about five foot four and she's exactly five foot if not an inch more. However, we can always wear each other's jeans if I wear flats and if she wears heels. So, when I put on her skirt, it fit me, yes, but it was a little (AHEM, I BEND OVER, I FLASH ALL OF TOKYO) on the short side, just touching my mid-thigh.

The white button down shirt, thankfully, was left unadulterated by Momoko, but I knew it was different. Last year, it definitely was not this tight, or short cut. If I were to stretch up my arms high enough, I would get a citation for…whatever it's called when you whore out. Actually, I don't think they punish that unless they catch you for PDA. Darn.

What it came to next was optional, according to Momoko and the school board. I could wear the maroon-like red cardigan over my white shirt, the same colored suit-like jacket, the red tie, or the red vest. All had a gold pendant shaped like a leaf, it was our school symbol, either pinned on or sewed on, though. The white knee-high socks (they came in red, too, and in a shorter length) also had the school symbol sewed on. Momoko had forced me to wear the knee-highs, though it seemed like she was letting me choose between vest, tie, jacket or cardigan.

I carefully stumbled to my bed (she's evil because she knows I am a klutz and therefore put me in heels instead of flats, hence making her evil) and picked up the tie, the silk almost slipping through my fingers.

She eyed me decisively with her chocolate brown eyes. "If you wear the tie you have to unbutton your shirt at least two buttons and put on a push up bra."

I stopped mid-way between looping the two pieces of material and tightening a knot. "What?!"

_My sister is trying to make me a motherfucking slut!!_

_I don't even __**have **__boobs to push up!_

"Wear the cardigan, roll up the sleeves to your elbows and tie the two ends together in a knot right underneath your boobs. It'll make them look bigger." Momoko ordered after seeing my stunned in frozen shock face. Her eyes narrowed in my direction as if I was some type of work in progress.

I squealed. "What boobs?! I'm, like, nonexistent!"

She laughed lightly, the sound making the situation worse more than better. She sounds like a cackling witch, I tell you. "Sakura, sweetie, that was last year. Last time Mom and I went shopping for underwear, she got you 36C cup. You haven't noticed?"

My face literally paled.

THAT IS MY BUSINESS!!

Why does she even _know _that? I should've thrown the mirror at her! I could get my sheets dry-cleaned.

"Okay," I said with as much patience I could muster, "you are officially done trying to help me get ready for school tomorrow. Get out of my room."

Momoko rolled her eyes. "You are turning down the advice of the most popular girl in Konoha because you are uncomfortable showing a little skin?"

I almost growled. If I showed anymore skin, I would be practically naked.

Silence filled the room as I glared at her, tapping my foot impatiently on the hardwood flooring. She just smiled back innocently as if she had no idea the lessons I'd learned during Anger Management in sixth grade were slowly melting into water vapor with her blood in it.

_I hate her ugly face_.

"OUT!" I growled, pointing to the door angrily.

She just laughed, slowly rising off my bed (her fat butt put a stupid dent in my sheets!) and smoothing the comforter. "Alright, alright, calm down. If I'm leaving, then a few things are going to have to leave with me."

Before I could protest, she tore through my room, taking down posters, stealing candy, swiping make-up, and snatching jewelry.

She is BITCH. Hear her roar. (ROAR)

* * *

I hopped onto my computer, signing onto the school's networking site. So, yeah, our school wasn't too jank, and they understood that students would be utterly bored while locked up in stupid dorms with (most commonly) a stupid roommate in a stupid boarding school. We had a bunch of little websites reserved for students who attend our school; your account was activated a few months before seventh grade began, and it was terminated a few months after your senior year.

That way, you could make new friends before school started, and you could stay connected with your old friends and find out who was going to what college, if any at all. Momoko is going to be a senior this year, but she has already decided that she's planning on going to Konoha University. Most students from Konoha Board end up going to that school anyway.

The screen lit up all white in a flash (the first time that happened I freaked the hell out), and soon it dissipated into a red screen, and with a cute _ding_ a golden leaf swirled onto the screen. With what sounded like sparkles falling (oh, you know the sound!) came the same golden color and writing 'Kohana Boarding: Where Excellence Is Expected'. It was underlined in a golden swish, and after that, a video tour of the campus was supposed to go on, but, I moved my mouse to the lower right corner and pushed SKIP. I can't even count how many times I've watched that video.

My emerald eyes moved up to the upper left corner to a section with big letters written in red saying LOGIN.

I put in my username irritably, because I could've swore I checked the REMEMBER ME box at least seventeen times last time I logged in (retarded computer) and then my password, making sure the damned check actually showed up in the box this time. It took seven attempts, but eventually, a black checkmark filled the white box, and I smiled, finally being able to press the LOGIN button.

The screen flashed white again, but this time it melted into a pink, red, white, and green striped screen. 'Welcome Back, Sakura-chan!' was at the top of the screen in bright green, and it glittered with a cool animation feature I'd found last year. Now _every one_ of my friends was using it. They're such biters.

I love them anyway, so I clicked on the little button that said 'CHAT?'.

* * *

**iSpyCherryPie328 **_**is now online (*)**_

**Friends: **sippIN0ndathater-ade*, |[]-|[]*, 4Ev3rIllLov3U*, .myIQsaysHi22*, Circle°Circle°Dot Dot.9, B0WchikaW0W-0W, Orange Is A Religion.!. Ramen Is God.10!*, ImABirdInACage56*, 40-40Vision, GreatWhiteSharkB1te, Sigh, BuggahB0o, PrinceofDarkness2*…

**Family: **Peaches'n'Kream8*…unfortunately, she's my sister….

**Hobbies: **swimming, texting, chatting, talking, spazzing, walking, running track (100M Hurdles=mine!), writing, if I think of more I assure you (not really) that I will let you know.

**Member Of: **What's Under Kakashi-sensei's Mask, I've Tripped Over Air, Oreo Is NOT Milks Favorite Cookie, No I Don't Want To Be Paid In Trident Layers, K-BAP: Konoha Boarding Newspaper, Not All Girls Obsess over Pink, BARBIE SUX,…

**Likes/Loves: **chocolate, boys, _men_, good books, learning, running track, look at my hobbies for more, pie, ice cream, food, working out, studying, movies, Disney, television, hot Spanish accents, Italian dudes, Spanish dudes, mysterious hot guys, funny people, Elmo (is way better than Barney),…

**Dislikes: **bananas, tomatoes (it really depends though…), haters, biters, incorrect grammar, lactose milk, unflavored water, procrastinators who procrastinate more than I do, instigators, rumors, BAD rumors, people who don't stand up for what the believe in, violence, bad movies with good critiques, good movies with bad endings, sequels that ruin prequels…

**Favorite Movie: **James Cameron's Avatar (It is AWESOME)

**Favorite Book: **Hm…well, if I want to be unimaginative, I'd say Twilight

**Hero: **Lives Up Your Ass and Around Your Balls at 2 Testicle Lane!....JK

…

…

…

_**Private Chat Invite From: **__sippIN0ndathater-ade_

_**Also Invited; **__|[]-|[], 4Ev3rIllLov3U & SandWitch9_

…**.Accepted…**

…

...

…

**sippIN0ndathater-ade: **OMG, guyzzz, skool starts 2morrow! Commence the boy stalk-age!

**|[]-|[]: **Sometimes, Ino, I really wonder if I should query about your mental state.

**SandWitch9: **I totally agree, TenTen.

**sippIN0ndathater-ade: **Y did I even invite you, Sabaku! GET THE F*** OUT!

_**SandWitch9 has been ejected from PrivateChat Room 73**_

**iSpyCherryPie328: **That was unnecessary, Ino. I thought you guys got over your…(Shikamaru) differences. LOLZ

**|[]-|[]: **Scorch.

**4Ev3rIllLov3U: **That was pretty funny, Ino-chan, you have to admit. : )

**sippIN0ndathater-ade: **Hinata, if Neji wasn't your cousin…

**4Ev3rIllLov3U: **Then he wouldn't be a Hyuuga. O: )

**|[]-|[]: **Double Scorch.

**sippIN0ndathater-ade: **I KILL U!

**|[]-|[]:** I wouldn't threat if I were you.

**sippIN0ndathater-ade: **And why would that be, girl with no last name?

**|[]-|[]: **I ignore ignorance; Kurenai-sensei said that I could be assistant coach for Fall V-Ball this year and if you piss me off now you could kiss that dream goodbye.

**sippIN0ndathater-ade: **Gimme a second while I think of a way to kill you socially.

**iSpyCherryPie328: **Okay-Okay, lets not internet fight, there's no point.

**4Ev3rIllLov3U: **Yeah, true.

**sippIN0ndathater-ade: **If you classify that as a fight, you know nothing. (But, you're still right.)

**|[]-|[]: **Fine, fine. I'll call Dad and tell him not to bring the police to your house.

**iSpyCherryPie328: **ANYWAY! Do you all want to go shopping?

**4Ev3rIllLov3U: **Yeah, it's cool with me. I just have to tell my Tou-san. We'll be back by nine thirty; right?

**|[]-|[]: **You have the WORST curfew ever.

**sippIN0ndathater-ade: **Your father should be put in a mental institution for thinking that that time is legit for a fifteen-year-old girl. I'm still fourteen and mine is eleven.

**iSpyCherryPie328: **I cry for you, Hina-chan.

**4Ev3rIllLov3U: **Well, I AM the heiress to the Hyuuga business.

**sippIN0ndathater-ade: **Psh, and I'm the heiress to the Yamanaka business.

**iSpyCherryPie328: **Poor argument. That's multi-billion dollar corporation versus a flower shop.

**|[]-|[]: **Triple SCORCH! Man, Ino, that's three strikes and it looks like your out.

**sippIN0ndathater-ade: **O PUH-LEEZE. When do we leave for shopping?

**iSpyCherryPie328: **I have to do something to my hair, and I'm sure we can food court it, so…six fifteen-ish?

**|[]-|[]: **That's perfect actually. Softball starts at five, so, I'll be (if anything) ten minutes late. Wait for me at Dippin' Dots. Ja ne, chicas! (We're going against Sound)

**iSpyCherryPie328: **OK. Win your game, too!

**4Ev3rIllLov3U: **KK. Beat those Sound freaks!

**sippIN0ndathater-ade: **Sure thing and don't break somebody's leg with your fast pitch!

_**|[]-|[] has left PrivateChat Room 73**_

_**|[]-|[] is now offline.**_

**4Ev3rIllLov3U: **I'll see you guys at six! Tou-san wants me to cook some dinner for Hanabi, so, I g2g. Ja!

_**4Ev3rIllLov3U has left PrivateChat Room 73**_

_**4Ev3rIllLov3U is now offline.**_

**iSpyCherryPie328: **I hate to say it, but, it's just you and me Pig.

**sippIN0ndathater-ade: **Yep. You tweak your uniform yet?

**iSpyCherryPie328: **I tried to, but then Momoko made it mega-slut.

**sippIN0ndathater-ade: **LOL. But you really should try something new if you want to get Sasuke-kun…

**iSpyCherryPie328: **. About that…

**sippIN0ndathater-ade: **And your sister is, like, the most popular senior ON RECORD.

**iSpyCherryPie328: **So I've heard. Anyway! I have to get changed into something that is publically correct (b/c, lol, I'm in my Bobby Jack PJs) so I'll TTYL.

**sippIN0ndathater-ade: **Yeah, I have to change my outfit so it's mall and boy hunting appropriate. ^.~ JA!

**iSpyCherryPie328: **Ja!

_**iSpyCherryPie328 has left PrivateChat Room 73**_

_**iSpyCherryPie328 is now offline.**_

.

.

.

_**sippIN0nthathater-ade has closed PrivateChat Room 73**_

_**sippIN0nthathater-ade is now offline.**_

* * *

…

…

…Somewhere in another private chat room…

**PrinceofDarkness2:**Invite White-Eyes and Lazy Ass, Dobe.

**Orange Is A Religion.!. Ramen Is God.10!: **Say PLEASE, please. :D

**PrinceofDarkness2: **No, bitch.

**Orange Is A Religion.!. Ramen IS God.10!: **You're SO mean, Teme.

**PrinceofDarkness2: **…?

**Orange Is A Religion.!. Ramen Is God.10!: **F.I.N.E.

_**Sending Private Chat Invites To: .**__myIQsaysHi22_and _ImABirdInACage56_

**Orange Is A Religion.!. Ramen Is God.10!:** It has been done.

**PrinceofDarkness2: **My Kami you are such a fucking dobe.

**Orange Is A Religion.!. Ramen Is God.10!: **And you, my friend, are a potty mouth!

_**Entering PrivateChat Room 74:**__ myIQsaysHi22_and _ImABirdInACage56_

**.myIQsaysHi22: **What do you want?

**ImABirdInACage56: **Hn.

**Orange Is A Religion.!. Ramen Is God.10!: **Oh, what enthusiastic greetings! (sarcasm)

**ImABirdInACage56: **....Right. Hinata is going to the mall with Haruno, Yamanaka and TenTen around six. Is that cool with you guys?

**.myIQsaysHi22: **Yeah. See you there; 31 Flavors as usual.

_**.myIQsaysHi22 has left PrivateChat Room 74**_

_**.myIQsaysHi22 is now offline.**_

**PrinceofDarkness2: **Sounds good.

_**PrinceofDarkness2 has left PrivateChat Room 74**_

_**.PrinceofDarkness2 is now offline.**_

**ImABirdInACage56: **See you there, Uzumaki.

_**ImABirdInACage56 has left PrivateChat Room 74**_

_**ImABirdInACage56 is now offline.**_

**Orange Is A Religion.!. Ramen Is God.10!: **You know, I was kind of hoping for some sort of conversation this time!

**Orange Is A Religion.!. Ramen Is God.10!: **….You guys didn't even say BYE!!

_**Orange Is A Religion.!. Ramen Is God.10! has closed PrivateChat Room 74**_

_**Orange Is A Religion.!. Ramen IS God.10! is now offline.**_

* * *

I sighed looking warily at my better off empty closet. My eyes roamed for something that would be at least half-decent for the mall. I reached for the first thing that caught my eye, a halter-top that was green on the upper-half and white and the lower half. It fit me nice, and, in words that Momoko would use, it made me look like a delicious little mint fairy just waiting to be devoured by Mr. Sex.

I sighed again, smiling lightly. My sister is a whore.

I searched for my denim shorts with the cute frays and rips on them that made it so 'I don't care but I care enough to be cute' for the mall. You see, a girl going to a mall is like a boy going to a sporting event, for, say, the Chicago Bulls.

For boys, if you you're rooting for the home team, you'll be dead-set on wearing either a Derrick or Noah jersey (because they are amazing), red, white, black, or some other form of attire that would show your loyalty and fanning toward your team.

Girls, or at least the serious ones, will change their outfits in the same way as boys change their clothes, depending on the reason for attending the mall, as boys do depending on the game. It's predetermined that you cannot look like a bum, because nobody looks twice at a bum, and if they do they think you are bummy. It is law. You cannot look bum. So, if you go to the mall in sweatpants and a t-shirt, do your hair up in a cute ponytail and wear those open-toe Velcro-across-the-toes Adidas sandals to rock the semi-athletic/just-rolled-out-of-bed look. However, if you go to the mall in hopes to find man-candy, find clothes that either a) fit your personality b) bring out your eye, skin, or hair color or c) make you look hot. If you can pull off all three, you are almost guaranteed a win.

I pulled the top of the halter over my head, careful not to disarray any of the curls on my head. You have no idea how long that freaking took me. First, the curling iron, like, refused to turn on. Then, since I just got out the shower, my hair just was not agreeing with the heat. It would _scchhh_ and make that sizzle noise, and then puff up, so I had to wait until it dried, which took forever.

Checking the time on my cell phone, and then the small clock on my desk since I could've sworn it was no _that_ late, I hopped into my shorts, slid on my white flip-flops and grabbed my green nail polish from my dresser in a rush. (Because when wearing flip-flops, one cannot have nasty toes. It equals bum)

I almost jumped down all of my steps, using my speed that is definitely reserved for track to dash to the kitchen, where my sister was oh-so-calmly sitting in a barstool, filing her nails.

"Momoko!" I growled, and her head snapped quickly in my direction. "I told you come get me at five forty five and it's six twenty!"

She just shrugged. "Sorry. Its not my fault. You should've made sure I was paying attention."

THE WORLD MIGHT AS WELL EXPLODE!

"What do you mean! I freakin' came down her in my bath towel and poked on the shoulder like," I turned to the side and pretended to poke her shoulder, though I was really pushing around air, "Hey, Momoko, can you drive me to the mall since my car is in the shop' and you were like, 'Yeah, sure.' And then you flipped a page of your magazine and I ripped out of your hand and stared sternly into your eyes, 'Are you sure?' and you nodded, 'Totally' and took the magazine back out of my hands!"

I huffed loudly, gathering my breath again, and lightening the white-knuckled grip I had on my nail polish.

My sister laughed and pointed to the Blue Tooth that was in her ear. "I was talking to Itachi-kun; we're going back that way, so as soon as he picks me up, I can ask if he'll drop you off at the mall for me."

I eyed her cautiously. She could be on her _stupid Blue Tooth_ this time again.

Itachi was her boyfriend, and the hottest being on the planet. He's three years older than her, being twenty, and he was the one to ask her out! She was a freshman and he was a senior! If there is one thing I'm jealous of about my sister, it's her talent at getting any guy she wants, whenever she wants him. I thought that if any one boy was immune to her whorishness, I would think it'd be an Uchiha, but NO. THEY LOVE HER BOOBS TOO! (Well, I heard a rumor that Sasuke-kun did—does—but, um, it is FALSE.)

I rolled my eyes. "Okay."

They better not make me sit in the back seat like a damn four year old.

* * *

"Sakura-chan, put on your seat belt and try not to get the polish on the leather. Ita-kun was nice enough to give you a ride—"

I glared at her coral hair, imagining it light on fire again and again until she herself combusted into an uncontrollable inferno of heat that not even her precious Ita-kun could save her. A malicious smile twitched upon my lips, "Of course, Momoko-nee-chan. Arigato, Itachi-kun. Arigato." My tone was far too sweet to be considered normal, but I didn't care. Right now, Momoko was turning into ash then rebuilding then turning back into ash, and she never stopped screaming.

It's like a dream.

Itachi just twisted around from the drivers seat and smiled at me sweetly (he was a nice guy, a little on the odd side, but he was nice. If he hadn't tapped my sister's ass I would consider tapping his) (multiple times). "Well, aren't you the cutest? You remind me of my younger brother, Sasuke. If my memory serves me," He backed out of our driveway, not even warning me or telling me to hold my nail polish bottle tighter—so that huge green dot on the white leather is _not _my fault, "I think you two are in the same grade."

I fought a blush as I covered my naturally baby pink colored pinky toenail with lime green. "Um, y-yeah. Sasuke-kun is in my grade. We were in the same math class last year. Benji-sensei was alright, though she did give lots of homework."

My tone was short and concentrated, because I wasn't trying to really make conversation or anything. I'm really trying not to ruin this dude's interior but, um, it's becoming quite inevitable with the turn-age and the random stop-age and then go-age. Does he not understand that I cannot watch the road and paint toenails at the same time!?

Maybe he just doesn't care about this heavenly piece of scrap metal his parent's no doubt bought for him. I would die for this car.

A honey-sweet chuckle broke me from my concentration toward painting my big toe. "You do know you called him 'Sasuke-kun', right?"

I nodded. "Uh…huh."

"And that I'm his elder brother?"

NO SHIT! "…Yep…"

There was a long silence, except for the sound of his car speeding down the asphalt of the highway. "Do you want me to tell him that you like him?"

I almost spilled the whole bottle of paint in his car. What did I do to even hint that I liked him?! I called him Sasuke-kun. Great. His mom probably calls him Sasuke-kun but that doesn't mean she has late night fantasies of she and him—I should probably stop.

Momoko giggled. "Ita-kun, Sakura knows better than to aim so high! She, at best, will probably get either that little blonde Uzumaki boy or the strange boy who holds a strange liking toward Gai-sensei."

I blanched. "LEE-SAN!?"

"See?" She laughed again, gripping Itachi's hand that was resting on the armrest. "She even knows his name. It's destined, Ita-kun."

I forced my eyes to rip away when I saw his hand bring hers up to his lips, and then I could just picture the rest, his undoubtedly soft lips pressing gently yet affectionately against her hand. Does he not know the number of germs that have to be on her hands?

That is disgusting.

I finished with my right foot and lifted up my left, dipping the brush back in the paint then wiping the excess off while trying to ignore the lover's lovely love-filled conversation. Still, though, it sounded like it was put on blast in my brain.

"Just like we are destined, ne, Momoko-chan?"

"Yes, Ita-kun, as soon as I get to college there'll be nothing to stop us!"

"Absolutely nothing, yes."

"I love you so much, Itachi!"

"The feeling would be mutual if not tenfold in my heart."

"I love you with the burning flames of fire, it as bright as the sun!"

"I care for you as the much as the moon lights the darkened night sky."

"Oh, Itachi, how I wish we could marry now!"

"Oh, but my love, violent beginnings have violent ends. We shan't rush our love for each other."

What was this, Romeo & Juliet!? (okay, so, yeah, I edited some parts, but, you get the jest.)

I cleared my throat rudely, successfully interrupting the far too sappy moment. This was too dramatic for a drama. Momoko glared at me from the rearview mirror, and her lip even snarled. She's such a dragon.

Itachi, being the nicer of the two, smiled apologetically. "Gomensai, Sakura-san. I forgot you were there. You want to go to Maple Leaf Mall, correct?"

I painted a final coat on my toes. "Hai, and don't worry about it. I am _more,_" I glared back at Momoko from the mirror, "than used to it."

He laughed, well, chuckled. "We'll be there in about two minutes, so prepare yourself."

"I-I-um—"

"Don't worry about the seat. I was going to get them changed tomorrow anyway. I want black now."

I nodded with a smile, and twisted the cap on the nail polish on tightly. "Really I am sorry, though."

Itachi shrugged his (wide, strong, _manly_)shoulders, turning into Princess Avenue, the street heading into the mall parking lot. "It's no problem, Sakura. Don't worry about it."

I smiled. "Arigato, for the ride and for the…" I motioned to the paint on the seat, "this."

Momoko turned around sharply in her seat and glared at me, "_He said it was okay!_"

My heart sped a little faster at her tone. What was up with that? Was she mad that Itachi was being so nice to me? But, that's so ridiculous, because it's no hidden secret that your supposed to be nice to your girlfriend's relatives.

I pushed the thought to the back of my head as Itachi slowed to a stop at the front entrance of the mall and unlocked the door with a loud _click_ sound.

I gripped the handle and pushed the door open, sliding the nail polish in my front pocket in the process. "Thanks, again, Itachi!" I thanked, closing the door carefully, because if I scratched _and _ruined the back seat interior he surely would be mad at me then.

He nodded. "I'll see you again, Sakura-chan."

"Um…yeah…sure."

And then, I run slash skipped to the front entrance because 1) my toenails weren't quite dry and 2) that glint in Itachi's dark, smoldering obsidian eyes was sending chills up my spine. I wasn't sure if they were good or bad chills, either.

* * *

"FOREHEAD! YOU ARE LIKE, TWENTY MINUTES NOT ON TIME!" Ino yelled as I skidded to a stop at Dippin' Dots, our usual meeting place.

I eyed the multi-colored circles of ice cream in Hinata and TenTen's hands, and immediately felt guilty. I really _am_ late.

TenTen laughed at my face, not like a mean person, but probably at at the expression I was making. "Don't feel so bad, Sakura! It's not as if we were actually planning on doing _anything_. Besides, the boys are over there and they've been for the last half hour. I think they're checking us out."

My eyes followed to where TenTen was pointing, to 31 Flavors, the ice cream shop a couple down from Dippin' Dots.

I recognized one immediately without looking at his face, the orange t-shirt and bright orange shoes hitting my eyes a second before his golden blonde hair and natural tan. He was, at first, sitting down at a round table, spinning around in small circles in a chair, spooning rainbow sherbet into his mouth while talking to the infamous Hyuuga Neji, Hinata's cousin. He was eating what looked like chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream. Leaning against the railing lazily was Shikamaru Nara, who was barely holding onto his fruit shake, as he stared aloofly at the pink and white 31 flavors sign. He's our resident lazy ass.

Next to him was Sasuke-kun. No, I am not going to explain. I will stare at his beauty and you will be jealous because—

"SAKURA-CHAN!!!" Naruto yelled loudly, somehow keeping the pink spoon in his mouth, waving his hand wildly in the air. People who were unfortunate enough to be near him when he yelled visibly winced, and a baby dropped it's lollipop. Naruto just so happened to be my neighbor, so we were kind of forced to be semi-friends.

Hinata reddened next to me, and I glanced toward her when I felt her fingers tapping my shoulder. "O-O-Oh my god, Sakura, he's coming ov-over here!"

My heart raced when I finally thought to check her words for truth. If Naruto was coming over here, then Neji was coming over here, which would bring Shikamaru because he wouldn't want to be alone with SASUKE-KUN, so that meant that SASUKE-KUN was…right in front of me.

I swallowed the heavy lump of fear down in my throat when he closed the gap between us with final steps. Of course, I don't mean that we were body to body, but, we were close enough that to a stranger they would now we were either about to talk to each other or already talking, which meant he wanted to talk to me, which meant _I _would have to talk back, and that would ultimately end to me pissing myself in public! GASP! Then I would freak out and he would call me a freak and my dreams of marrying and screwing him would mean nothing!

He stopped about two feet in front of me. "Sakura," was his only greeting, but that was enough to send me melting like chocolate. He says my name so perfect. It just rolls off his tongue, and his voice is dark and mysterious and scrumptious and delicious. I could feel the vibrations!

I glance over toward Ino, who was already flirting it up with Shikamaru easily. They'd been on-again-off-again for months now. She flipped her blond hair adorably with a cute wink then a giggle.

TenTen was nodding her head with a smile to whatever Neji was talking about, and he, the ice cube, was smiling. A blush danced on he cheeks, but she looked as beautiful as ever, especially seeing as her hair, for once, was let down to fall in tumbling brunette waves. She must've forgotten to put her hair in buns after her softball game.

Hinata was talking to Naruto while managing to stay conscious. Enough said.

My eyes found there way back to the hunk of hunk in front of me, and I gazed into his obsidian eyes that I could live in. They're so gorgeous. I wish my eyes reflected like that. They're just a stupid green! What else is green? What apples? Nobody likes apples unless they're applesauce!

"I like applesauce," I giggled girlishly.

He lifted an eyebrow, obviously taken aback. "What?"

My face flashed as red as a fire truck. I'd said that aloud.

Somebody kill me now.

* * *

_Review!_

_NaruBaby2496_


	2. guess who luvs ME! yes, u r gellin

_NaruBaby2496_

* * *

The area all around me seemed to hush, not too sharply, but not easily ignored, from the corner of my eye, I could see Ino glance at me, her whole face reading 'Fix it, Forehead!', and I could see TenTen stop talking all together. She stuttered awkwardly before she just shut her mouth, obviously embarrassed for me, though that wasn't even a problem.

I didn't need pity. I _don't_ need pity. Psh. Pity is for losers.

So, I straightened my back, forced those tears that were forming in my eyes back, imagined Lee singing in the shower to make my blush go away (and, Kami, trust me, that did work!), and steeled myself for looking into Sasuke's eyes.

Which might've been the biggest mistake of my life.

My mouth snapped closed fast, my teeth chattering afterwards.

I do need pity! (But, that doesn't mean I'm a loser, because I am opposite, thank you very much) I mean, the first things I ever said to my fucking soul mate were 'I like applesauce'! When I'm eighty years old and my adorable green-eyed, dark-haired grandchildren (notice the plural, because Sasuke and me are going to get busy like rabbits repopulating for world take-over) ask me what the first thing I ever said to Grandpa was, I would have to tell him about applesauce—because honesty is the policy. If you didn't know, I follow policy.

I always follow policy. Always, always, always, always—

My face disgruntled into something ugly at first glance of red, and I couldn't help but sneer. "Bitch…"

That. Thing. Walking. Toward. Me. Was…

KARIN.

Worse than HN1, but best friends with the pigs of Swine Flu.

Redder (and fatter) than a plump tomato, but as sour (and oddly shaped) as a strawberry.

Hairy as Elmo but as molester as Barney.

She is Karin. Kaori Karin. BEWARE!

It wasn't until I could see the determined glint in her eye, the one that reminded me so much of the same flash that would pass through my sister's eyes whenever she was on a boy scouting mission, that the gears in my brain finally started rotating, and my anger started unraveling. I followed her gaze to Sasuke's back, and I sneered again. She is not—

"Haruno." Sasuke said silkily, ripping me harshly away from my current dream of Karin falling face first down some never-ending, spiraling stairs.

I smiled brightly, drunkenly even. "I'm fine, Sasuke-kun. You shouldn't worry about me," I leaned around him, glaring, looking for the redhead and her posse of loyal kittens, just to see that they were all gone. Like air. Gone. Poof.

Psh. I'm not complaining.

"Do you want to come with us, Sasuke-kun? We're just going to hang out until we get hungry and then we're going to head to the food court and get a smoothie or something, and then we might shop, and it's always nice to have some different opinions on dresses and shoes and—"

Sasuke put his hands in his pockets and shrugged aloofly, though a smirk played on his lips, his eyes suddenly not as hard as before. "I—"

I shoved a finger onto his (perfect) lips and snarled, eyes narrowing deviously.

IT WAS MY WORST NIGHTMARE EMBODIED IN A KARIN!

The redheaded demon reappeared, snaking herself around Sasuke, gripping his arm for dear life, her boobs (ahem, toilet tissue stuffed bra) straddling either side of the muscular flesh. She nuzzled her head into the crook of his neck, smelling him like he was some type of smelling salt and like I was invisible. Like I wasn't just talking to him. Like I wasn't just inviting him to shop with us. Like he wasn't **about**…_**to say**_…_**YES**_!

My arm fell down from his lips like a limp noodle.

She cooed, "Ne, Sasu-chan, I missed you," she pressed herself closer, "_so very much_."

He didn't say anything, but even my friends could tell that his annoyance meters were reaching dangerous highs, seeing they had stopped talking to their boy toys and joined in my glaring at Karin and her trolls. They really are trolls. They live under bridges. They're kitty trolls.

Naruto was the last of the boys to stop talking, and when he did, he managed to whistle lowly, a smile tugging on his lips. "…Awkwardness…."

It was awkward, actually extremely awkward, but what made me think most were the tone Naruto had taken and the obviously agitated look on Sasuke's face. I could've sworn I saw a small pink tint in his cheeks, too. My apple green eyes roamed over to left to see Neji, arms crossed across his chest, jaw clenching angrily, and Shikamaru, who was muttering, "Troublesome parasite," over and over again. Hm.

How…interesting…that Karin can get such a reaction from all the boys…

I'll have to investigate into that as soon as she pries her nasty claws off MY Sasuke-kun and goes to find a deep well in a middle of a dark alley and I _accidently_ push her into it!

I composed myself, though I was still about two steps away from ripping the girl's throat out. "EXCUSE—"

_No growling. That only gets you in more trouble. _

Thank Kami for Jiminy Cricket, the ever-famous conscious/green bug thing. (LOL, I MEAN CRICKET!)

My voice calmed considerably, into a forced sweetness. "Excuse me, Karin, but, I was—"

She simply glanced at me, looking like she was about to retaliate, until she realized she had 'more important matters' at hand. She wrapped her hands around Sasuke's waist and forced a hug. "Mou, Sasu-chan, why won't you talk to me?" Her voice turned sultry. "Are you _tense_, I could give you a _mass_—?"

Sasuke, finally talking, looked more than pissed, and the almost red flash in his eyes made my heart skip a beat. He seethed like a mother fudging French snake!

"Back. Off. Kaori."

I could've laughed at her expression, somewhat crossed between a confused toddler and an abandoned puppy-dog, but either way, she looked defeated. And that, my friends, is the goal. It is always the goal.

"But, Sasu-chan—"

"My name is Sasuke."

"But, Sasuke-kun!"

"Sas-uke." He pronounced each syllable as if he was talking to an irresponsible toddler—whore.

Karin bounced around. "SASUKE-KU," She corrected herself before adding the honorific, and with much difficulty she whined, "…but Sasuke!"

He ripped his way out of Karin's grip, and just scowled. "I suggest scattering."

She and her puppets—now they're kitty troll puppets—, who had settled in behind Karin, flanking her her, stared analytically at Sasuke, reading him. The blonde chick with the glasses was on the right, the brunette trip with pigtails was on the left, and the trio stood their ground, not defiantly, or anything, but they stayed.

Karin removed her glasses and blinked (not so) prettily. "Scatter to your pen—"

"Now." He murmured darkly, not even sparing a glance in her direction. Because she is not worth it. It being your eyes burning out because you looked at such an ugly thing.

It took a few minutes, a few seconds, really, of silence, strained silence, until she whipped her head to the right with a huff and stomped away, high-heeled boots clacking on the tiled mall flooring.

The empty silence, quiet enough that I could hear my own heart pounding in my ears, lasted until the trio finally melted into the heavy mall-crowd, lost between the people. No one dared to speak.

"THAT WAS MEGA-TENSE!"

Until now.

The person who screamed was blonde. I didn't think to check who (as if it _mattered_), because Sasuke was back to looking at me, a look closest to apology glazed over in the obsidian.

I smiled. "Don't worry about it, I get it, really."

I, actually, more than got it. I used to be one of Karin's followers in elementary school, all the way up to the sixth grade, with Ino. She was the blonde (obviously) and I was the brunette (not so obviously). We called ourselves Kiss, because the first letters of all of our names are K, S, and I, and Kis just didn't look right on the t-shirts.

Yes.

We had t-shirts.

You're jel.

In the seventh grade, I got tired of following after the redhead and never being able to get any lead myself. Ino quit because the t-shirt didn't fit her cute enough.

Sasuke nodded, a smile tugging at his lips. "Alright. I'll, um, be right back."

I smiled wider, pink blush brushed on my cheeks. I chirped, "Yeah, sure!"

* * *

It was somewhat automatic how after Sasuke left, the three other boys stopped talking to my friends and made their own little huddle, as if they were talking something over. It was automatic how we did the same thing. BUT, we did it first, so they're the mega-loser-copiers.

To an outsider, we probably looked like a football team before tip-off. Er, kick-off? What's it called for football…? Again??

…

…

…

Whatever. We're in a huddle.

"Status, girls?"

Ino's normally chipper and stereotyped Valley Forge Girl voice was replaced with a more serious baritone.

TenTen pulled out a piece of paper from who knows where, with plenty of bullet points scribbled in her messy cursive from who knows when. "Well, I asked him and he said that he didn't really care as long as we didn't make him carry too many bags and we don't go to, like, White Castles or anything like that at the court."

Ino nodded. "Hinata; status?"

"W-Well," The Hyuuga heiress began with a light stutter, "Naruto-kun says he doesn't mind, and that'd he'd enjoy company w-who wou-would actually talk t-to him."

"Forehead?"

All eyes were on me, and I shrugged my shoulders. "I _almost _got an affirmative."

Ino screeched. "ALMOST?!"

"Yeah, but then Kaori showed up and—"

A loud blonde boy ripped our huddle apart and stood proudly in the middle. "Let's go, mis chicas favoritas!"

I bet all my life's savings that it's a certain boob named Naruto~!

* * *

Shikamaru stared analytically at Sasuke, until the Uchiha began narrowing his eyes into a glare.

"Relax, Uchiha. You're like a dog going through heat."

Naruto laughed loudly, until Neji hushed him with silent warning.

The Nara rolled his eyes, muttering something like, "Troublesome," before focusing back on Sasuke.

"I thought you said there wouldn't be any fan girls."

Sasuke just grunted.

"Sasuke, we both know that's not a word."

Glare.

Tired glare.

Sneer.

Sigh. "I think Naruto has the best plan."

There was silence for a long while, until Sasuke spoke through clenched teeth, "_I _don't get the logic behind that. How would using her help with the—?"

"You're not _using_ her, per se, Sasuke-teme. It's a…trade-off…you could say."

Neji rose a dark brow; interest piqued by Naruto's smartened tone. Whenever he started talking like that, no matter how many times he would deny if asked, the Uzumaki made some sense. "How so, Uzumaki?"

He smiled goofily. "Well, she likes Sasuke a lot, right?"

Collective nods.

"And we all want the fan girls—choughKARINcough—gone, right?"

Collective nods.

"Girls tend to leave boys they like alone once they're, I don't know, attached. Preoccupied. Taken. Not theirs."

Sasuke nodded a final time, though he knotted his brows together. "Why with—"

Shikamaru merely scoffed. "She freaking loves you, okay!"

"You never noticed, Uchiha?" Neji asked, genuinely taken back, because he knew since the third grade.

Sasuke just grunted. "Hn. Tell them we'll go, Dobe."

_Am I that_ _oblivious?_

"You are." Shikamaru muttered from behind him.

* * *

My mother once told me when writing a story it was important to take time out to characterize each one of the characters in a scene with vivid imagery and colors, great adjectives, visionary phrases, and feeling. That I should skip out on sentences that didn't help in the characterization process, and avoid fragments at all costs. Well, I love my Kaa-san, but I'm kind of skipping that part until I'm bored and feel like writing pages and pages worth of all the people I know! (BECAUSE I KNOW EVERYBODY~!)

My Mom, Haruno Rei, you know you know her, is the author of the smash-hit of a book,_ Let's Pretend, For Real_. She wants it to be a movie soon, though; she said the book title was too long and forgetful to be iconic. She wants something quick and amazing, memorable, like 100 First Dates, Hellboy, Super Bad, or, dare I say Twilight. All those are shortly worded, and easy to recall.

I'll help her think of a title once she gets a finalization.

Anyway, the book of hers is about a boy, Logan (like, how imaginative, right? _sarcasm…),_ who is constantly hounded by fan girls, because, um, he's gorgeous. Mom says that he's, supposedly, more gorgeous than Sasuke-kun, and that has to be, like, Roman GOD. Anyway, since he's always being mentally raped by these fan girls of his, he goes ahead and decides to pick one that's closest to him, his childhood friend named Kennedy (again, imaginative), and eventually they become boyfriend and girlfriend, and they're adorable together. BUT, Logan is just _using _her to keep the fan girls away! GASP! So, she's all loverly with him thinking she's in love and stuff, while he's just putting on the affectionate mask whenever a fan girl comes by.

When ends come to ends, Logan ends up falling for Kennedy, but, by that time, Kennedy was told by her friend Peter, who is Logan's friend too, that Logan is just using her. So, when Logan is about to give her a promise ring (cute right?), she is all, "Um, no, you jerk face, you're using me to be rid of fan girls!"

Of course, Logan explains everything, and, since it's a romance book, and Mom wants to make it a series, they got back together under the final note of "Can they make it work with the clouded past of trickery and deception?"

I know the end—they break up twice, go their separate ways, but then get back together—but I think that book is total jank. If _I_ were with a guy as hot as Logan is supposed to be, I wouldn't care if he were using me. That is, like, refusing a helicopter ride with Taylor Lautner. (WHO IS SO FUCKING HOT!)

Ahem.

I was _supposed _to be talking to my friends. Look at you, got me going off track.

Right now, the eight of us, as in me, Ino, TenTen, Hinata, Naruto, Neji, Shikamaru, and Sasuke, are all walking to the food court, since the stores were ridiculously packed with kids trying to buy last minute clothes for the school year. At our school, once your in, your in, and once the gates close (metaphorically, of course), there's no coming out until the weekend, or, during the weeknights, six o'clock, but you have to be back by nine, lights out by ten thirty.

Have I ever expressed my anger toward jank curfews before?! UGAHW (!(_(#EAGAMES!

:P.

"Do you guys want food, or, like—" TenTen started, stepping down the semi-steep steps to the food court, which was as equally packed as the stores. I could almost growl. There is no other reason toward coming to the mall on Sunday besides avoiding crowds. Why. Is. There. A. Crowd. DAMMIT!

Naruto the human pumpkin pumped his fist in the air, almost bonking Hinata on the head in the process. "RAMEN?! Of course I want ramen, TenTen-chan! That's so kind of you to think of me like that."

He smiled innocently, then leaped over the staircase, full throttled speed heading toward Ichiraku, forgetting that we were in a group and if we lost one of another we could get in some deep shit.

DEEP.

SHIZ.

"We should probably get to eating if we want to make it by the Hyuugas' curfew," Shikamaru drawled, lazily moving the small bag of jewelry in his hand—Ino insisted standing in that long-ass line just to buy ONE pair of earrings—and slumping down the steps.

Neji shrugged, though that too looked extremely graceful and (admittedly) feminine. All the Hyuugas had that about them, even the males. Neji has a cousin who's a junior named Harou, and he's the Varsity quarterback. Like Neji, he's muscular and toned, yes, but somehow still very lithe, graceful, and artistic.

I am jealous of how beautiful they are.

"Hinata-chan," He addressed, his voice confident (as always), "come with me, I'd like to talk to you about something."

The girl giggled, I raised an eyebrow, then she winked toward Ino, I gaped in confusion, then she walked down the stairs happily. I almost wanted to slap myself. This was awkward.

Ino laughed too, and smiled widely, looking at me. "Well, lookey here, it's just you and you, isn't that interesting?" Her voice was heavily dramatized, and she looked like she was acting as she pointed between Sasuke and me.

Me and Sasuke.

Sasuke and I.

I and Sasuke.

(-kun.)

She smiled again. "I have to go now, so why don't you two sweethearts talk it up while we wait for you at Ichiraku, yes?"

NO! "Sure…I don't see why not." I shrugged, trying to keep the blush from rising to my cheeks.

Ino giggled. "Alrighty then!" She clapped, "I'll see you two later!"

NO! "Okay, then, bye!"

NO! NO! NO! NO! NO!

Sasuke finally turned to me and looked me in the eyes, black boring into green. "You're hyperventilating."

"I am not!" I shrieked, making Ino, way in the background, trip down her last step and land on the linoleum face first.

I ignored the _thump _as I stared at the Uchiha in front of me. I crossed my arms. "What makes you think that I am hyperventilating?"

He shrugged nonchalantly. "You were just screaming 'No!' while having miniature seizures."

"NO!"

For the first time, I actually felt myself twitch.

* * *

I tried walking away from him and going to Ichiraku, just to save myself from the embarrassment. Two steps to the cool stools and Ino popped up right in front of me, so closely that I almost fell down and onto my butt.

"_What _are you doing, Sakura?" She said, once again in her sergeant voice.

I scratched my head. "IDK, walking to go and get some ramen?"

"Negatory. You're talking to Sasuke-kun and fulfilling your mission."

I stared blankly at her. Since when did I sign up for military school? Boot camp?

Ino rolled her baby blue eyes. "You are going to get Sasuke to start thinking about you in a different way. To. Night."

"But—"

"No complaints. You want him, right?"

.

I want him more than butter demands toast.

.

I nodded quickly up and down.

"Okay then. Get your flirt on!"

Now, we reach now, right after I was literally pushed up stairs to Sasuke, and forced to talk to him. To converse. To 'get' 'my' 'flirt' 'on'.

To be honest, I really did not feel like it. I was hungry, my stomach growling loud enough to be considered a freaking earthquake, I was starting to get all sweaty because I was so nervous, I really, really, _really_ needed to piss because I just so happened to drink three cups of water from the water fountain about ten minutes ago to calm my nerves, and, if you couldn't find out by now, it is not working! I just want to go hide in some type of hole and cry!

I pouted. "Ne, Sasuke-kun, isn't Ino the worst?" I whined, slinking down to the ground, leaning my back against the wall Sasuke was leaning against. It was actually more like a beam, to be completely honest. That's beside the point though, because, unlike what I expected, Sasuke stopped staring into space, looking like he was brooding over something, and sat next to me.

"Enlighten me."

IS IT JUST ME OR DOES THIS GUY REFUSE TO ASK QUESTIONS!?

Since I was currently mad at the girl for disapproving me my freaking meal, I groaned. "Well, for one, she's kind of pushy."

He nodded.

"And like," I readjusted my position facing him fully, my eyebrows furrowed in that 'I'm steaming away my pent up anger at a person by talking with full concentration' face, and my hands started moving on their own, since I talk with them. Deal with it you lames. "I've always been her best friend since I was like four, when kids used to tease me for my forehead, okay? So, she would, like, stick up for me and stuff, and, admittedly, she taught me how to stand up for myself and in a way she kind of molded me but, now I'm kind of making myself sound like her puppet or something. I'm not, I swear!"

Sasuke rested his head on his palm, lightly frowning. "Finish the story."

"FINE! And, like, she's always made me do whatever she did and stuff, and she's like a freaking lieutenant general or something and we're her little follower soldier people and if pisses me off! Like, I can live on my own, you know?"

He nodded.

"So, we're in the third grade and she wanted to do swimming, but I was freaking terrified of water because my dog drowned the last month, but she had me sign up for the lessons anyway. It was _terrible_, Sasuke-kun! I couldn't even focus on learning; I was too busy asking Kami to spare my life!"

Sasuke smirked lightly. "You're afraid of water."

I wanted to thump him on the head. Hard. So, I did. "That's really mean, Sasuke-kun!"

Sasuke was on the swim team last year, so I guess he would find the fact that I'm terrified of all things that have to do with me and swimming and water a little humorous. I understand completely, really, I do. That doesn't take away the fact that it hurts. It hurts on the inside.

He flinched a little, but, nevertheless, he found the time to thump me back.

It's safe to say within the next thirty seconds, we were in a full out thumping war (maybe later we can find time to remove the't' from thumping and have one of those wars? :P) laughing, chuckling, in his case, and smiling. Yes, you're jealous, because I actually saw Sasuke smile. It wasn't an 'OH MY GOD, THAT'S HILARI!' smile from ear to ear, but, I'll take what I can get.

Through uneven breaths, I smiled. "Ne, Sasuke-kun, how come you're being all nice to me now?"

I don't need to tell you the story, do I? The story of how I was nonexistent? The story of how I was invisible? The story of how—you get the gist, yes?

He brushed his bangs out of his face, his strong hands running through the no-doubt silky, soft, smooth raven locks. I couldn't help but notice how his bicep just flexed with the rising of his arm, the thoughtful look in his obsidian orbs as he sighed lowly.

Sasuke shrugged. "It's a long story."

A pregnant pause fell over the atmosphere as soon as our breaths evened, and I propped my knee up, laying my head on it and staring at him. Sasuke really is handsome, but he's not perfect. I could go on and on talking about the aristocratic shape of his nose, the model-worthy cheekbones, kissable lips, somehow always soft-looking, never chapped, and don't get me started about his eyes. The dark, hypnotizing, deep wells of black that I'd have no problem falling into, as dark as night, as mystifying as the stars that accompany it. I giggled lightly, and he quickly glanced in my direction, and, like to opposite magnets, our gazes were locked.

If I don't know anything, I know I really like this guy.

But, sometimes, he could be really cold. You have to be extremely close to him to know why he's so distant at times, so detached. My mind can go on plenty of different routes that lead to the roots of the problem. I won't be happy until I know, I won't be content until he's the one who tells me. Right now, I think it's because he had severe clown trauma and every time he sees something that reminds him of a clown, he gets all Emo and snappy. I'm pretty sure that's not it, but…

Everything about Sasuke is left at an open end, like those cool activity books that leave blanks in the middle of sentences, open for you to fill in with your own verbs, adjectives, or nouns. Sometimes I wonder what it'll take to fill in Sasuke's empty spaces, if he even wants them to be filled in, if he'll accept it.

It was now that I realize how close we were, I could feel the heat radiating off his body, and it was somewhat automatic how we both leaned closer together, how, at the moment, I didn't think anything was really wrong. My mind was in too much of a blur, a fast, bundled blur of thoughts all focused on Sasuke-kun, and the fact that he was _this _close to—

Suddenly a loud group of giggling girls arrived, smiling ridiculously, blush dancing across their cheeks. My head whipped in their direction, and I could quickly and easily label them. Fan Girls. Stupid. Retarded. Fan Girls. I wanted to freaking growl like a ballistic animalistic at them, full on beast mode! Do they not understand that I was _this _close to—

A hand gripped my shoulder, twisting me around, face to face (more accurately, lips to lips) with Sasuke.

My mind whirred faster than I could process. Like, do you know how it feels to be randomly kissed!? I don't care if it's Sasuke, I couldn't help it! I held my lips in a hard, straight line, almost refusing to believe it was true, and that I wasn't playing games on myself. When I get hungry, it happens. When I felt him actually trying, though, his hand pressing me closer to his body, the other stroking my cheek softly, and sending strokes of heat like fire over my face. He was being persuasive, almost daring me to try to ignore it any longer, ignore the feel of his lips on mine, the closeness.

Well, shit.

It looks like I just lost this dare, because, psh, shock overload is O-V-E-R.

Immediately, I feel into rhythm, our lips moving in complete synchronization. My breath hitched when I felt his tongue brushed my bottom lip, like, what the fuck? He's doing it on purpose and he knows it! He knows I really have to piss myself and he wants to embarrass me right in the middle of the mall!

That bitch.

Before I could end the kiss myself—not because I was mad or anything, air _is_ a necessity—he slid his lips off mind and he smirked, half out of breath himself, though he found a way to keep a steady voice.

"Be my girlfriend."

My mouth hung open in time with the fan girls'—well, the ones who stayed to watch the show :P—gasps, and my heart demanded to pop out of my chest.

If his goal was to get me to empty my bladder in public, he's doing a pretty damn good job of accomplishing it.

Tension built, the fan girls were waiting, obsidian eyes bore into mine, and I couldn't help but feel like I was the deciding factor of whether the sky was blue or chartreuse.

"Say…," Sasuke murmured softly, moving his mouth to my ear, breath hot and tingly against my earlobe, "yes, Sakura."

The fan girls huddled closer, itching on every word.

I bit my lip. "I-I-I—yeah, sure…"

There go the contents of my bladder.

* * *

_Review! _

_~NaruBaby2496_

Monopoly


	3. shikashake that in jail LOLZ

**Login**: **iSpyCherryPie328**

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**iSpyCherryPie328 **_**is now online (*)**_

_Public Chat—_

**iSpyCherryPie328: **I was just the mall with _sippIN0ndathater-ade_*, _|[]-|[]_* and _4Ev3rIllLov3U_*, now I'm home and I got the biggest freakin' surprise of my freakin' life! Like, dang! I didn't expect Sasuke, Neji, Shikamaru and _Orange Is A Religion__.!.Ramen Is God.10!*_ to be there! And, le ewwww, Karin was there, too. Anyone else at the mall that I forgot to mention? (PS: I am really happy tho, because, like, OMG, I am officially somebodys gf!!! SQUEAL!)

**40-40 Vision: **Well I'm sure this Karin person hates you too.

**iSpyCherryPie328: **Like I care.

**Sigh: **I was at the mall, more specifically the art shop buying more paintbrushes. I did happen to see a few people from school as well.

**|[]-|[]**_**: **_It looks like we're going to have to have a three way call as soon as possible Cherry...of course with the usual crew.

**iSpyCherryPie328: **Of course. Don't we always once someone becomes attached to certain ppl they've loved since forever?

**sippIN0ndathater-ade: **JUST GOT BACK HOME AND GASP! I log in and Cherry Pie is all I HAVE A BF NOW and I'm lyk, DEMANDING TO KNO WHO!!!! (even though I have the hugest inkling…~.^)

**Orange Is A Religion.!.Ramen Is God.10!: **I'm flattered, really I am. : - )

**iSpyCherryPie328: **?? How and why r u flattered?

**Orange Is A Religion.!.Ramen Is God.10!: **That you still believe we're soul mates and that we're currently dating. Really, tho, whoever this 'bf' ur cheating on me with is, u really should b careful about it. BCUZ IF HE HURTS U, I'LL KILL HIM!

**iSpyCherryPie328: **Sigh. That is exactly why ur username takes up half a page. HATER-ADE! Omg, I'll tell you later, I swear. I just don't feel like setting up a PrivateChat Room.

**ImABirdInACage56: **Home. And, wow, that's the longest PublicPost I've seen in a while.

**4Ev3rIllLov3U: **We just got home. LOL, I love how you didn't say our names! Since when did you decide to start following the rules? OOOH AND TELL ME WHO!!!

**iSpyCherryPie328: **Ever since Tsunade-sama almost had my account terminated!!! DX I'll tell you ASAP.

**PrinceofDarkness.2: **You should be happy.

**iSpyCherryPie328: **I'm very happy. (blushes like an idiot) I've loved this guy 4ever.

**PrinceofDarkness.2: **Boys can be very deceiving though.

**iSpyCherryPie328: **WHO ARE YOU, MY FATHER?!?!?!

**iSpyCherryPie328**: GIRLS! We need a three-way convo immediately!

**sippIN0ndathater-ade: **No problemo.

**|[]-|[]: **I'll call.

**iSpyCherryPie328: **I'll pick up.

**4Ev3rIllLov3U: **Okay. TTYS.

**.****myIQsaysHi22 (**_**mobile**_**): **Tch. You shouldn't be so obvious with who you are…Oh, and _PrinceofDarkness.2*_, I need you to bail me out of jail.

**iSpyCherryPie328: **BLEGH! You shouldn't be so obvious with who _you _are and with _your_ genius! That's y ur in jail, you lame!

**PrinceofDarkness.2: **It's Birdie's turn. You really should stop driving without a permit, fourteen year old.

**.myIQsaysHi22 (**_**mobile**_**): **Shut ur mouth and I do have a permit, you dumbass. We get perks cuz my Dad works at the community skool, remember?

**sippIN0ndathater-ade: **Yeah, totally, Prince. We all got our permits early from him. Re-mem-ber?

**PrinceofDarkness.2: **No body's talking to u

**sippIN0ndathater-ade: **XP

**ImABirdInACage56: **I don't have bottomless pockets of money, Shikamaru.

**.myIQsaysHi22 (**_**mobile**_**): **Yeah, like that really matters to me because I'm not even this Shikamaru person.

**ImABirdInACAge56: **For the love of Kami….How much this time?

**.myIQsaysHi22 (**_**mobile**_**): **This Shikamaru person says a couple hundred.

**ImABirdInACage56: **Then this Shikamaru person owes me a couple hundred.

**.myIQsasyHi22 (**_**mobile)**_**: **I honestly feel sorry for u then, bcuz the chances of u getn ur money back r absolute zero.

_Monopoly_

_NaruBaby2496_

So, in case you're wondering, I _did not _piss myself. That's so four years old.

(I just almost did.)

I consider myself lucky, because as soon as Sasuke untangled him self off me and stood up, myself following suit seconds later, the rest of the crew were trudging up the stairs, Naruto holding his stomach like a fat forty year old madman with a hairy chest who just ate way too much pizza and drank way too much beer. Oh, you all know what _that_ looks like. Ino was spooning the last of her melting fruit smoothie into her mouth, the red from the strawberries around her lips, and a small stain on her lilac t-shirt dress. TenTen looked like at any second she would fall into a deep sleep, though she _was_ complaining about how her feet were aching so badly from wearing her too-small spikes for softball and then changing into some brand new tan flats that her Aunt bought her for her birthday.

"Does anyone need a ride home?" Shikamaru asked, scratching the back of his head nonchalantly, probably using that as an excuse of a stretch.

We all, as in the girls, put on thoughtful faces. These were the parts we never thought out. Most of the time, our parents would have no problem dropping us _off_, and in the afternoons they'd have no problem picking us up either. But, it's night. And night is dark. TenTen's Aunt is most likely asleep, getting ready for her early shift at work in the morning, Ino's Mom and Dad, I swear to Kami I am not joking, are either fucking, drinking then fucking, or partying, drinking then fucking, and, well, who knows what Momoko is doing with _Itachi _right about now.

Sasuke pulled out his phone—an iPhone, all black cover with a Kanji symbol on the back in white—and checked the time. "It's 9: 08. The Hyuugas need to be home in twenty-two minutes and they live twenty minutes away. Whoever is—"

Neji interrupted him. "I'll drive. After all, I," He pulled out his Driver's License (he and TenTen are a year older than us), "do have my license. Come on, Hinata."

The porcelain girl nodded and quickly followed after her retreating cousin, but not without saying her goodbyes to everyone.

"BYE, HINATA-CHAN!" Naruto yelled above all of the mall chatter, making _another _baby drop its lollipop.

He's such a dunce.

Hinata's face turned as red as a stop sign, and she smiled nervously. "B-Bye, Naruto-kun."

Sasuke filed out soon after the Hyuugas, much to my utter sadness, because, well, I know it's cliché or whatever, but, I was just hoping that since now we're boyfriend and girlfriend he'd at least offer me a ride. But no. He didn't even say bye! Or give me a hug! He just ditched.

Ino noticed my pouting and patted my shoulder. "It's okay forehead. You can ride with me, Naruto and Shikamaru. You don't _have to _walk home and face the escalating chance of being raped, molested, or killed."

TenTen gave Ino a royal face-palm for me. "Whatever, Ino. I'll see you guys at school tomorrow during lunch, yes?"

Sophomores and Juniors have the same lunch period, whereas grades seven, eight and nine have the same lunchtime, and seniors eat in their own group. They don't have to share. Tch.

Losers.

She nodded. "Of course, buns."

With that, and a few exchanges of farewells, TenTen strolled off to the parking lot.

There was a long silence before anyone spoke, I mean, what could we talk about? Naruto was tired from eating the whole freaking menu, Shikamaru was lazy (well, tell me _something _new), Ino had no one to talk to, because I was too busy watching the retreating back of my newly pronounced boyfriend. I sighed. That's a…big word.

It's not like I've never had a boyfriend before. It's just that with every boyfriend I've ever had, Momoko would just show up and snatch him away. It's like she was always better than me, even in third, second, and first grade. It doesn't matter how old. She just is better. No one ever teased her, she's the one doing the teasing, she never gets rejected, she's the rejecter, and it seems like everything negative just passes over her and lands on me. I'm not complaining or anything, it's not like I can't take it, I just want one thing to go my way.

Just one thing. That's all I ask for.

Shikamaru sighed. "Alright then. Let's go."

He took the first steps to the mall's exit, and, one by one, I, Naruto, and Ino fell into a line behind him, because, in all honesty, half a mind told us to take the ride, the other half was screaming at us to run home, full speed ahead.

The Nara was only fourteen, his birthday a day before Ino's, and, well, would you trust a fourteen year old behind the wheel of a car? I don't care if his Dad owns the neighborhood Driving School, that's just crazy. Well, I mean, we _all _kind of got our permits early from Mr. Nara, including TenTen and Neji, because he promised he would twist the rules for all Konoha Academy students who got all As during the fourth quarter of the school year, and maximum two discipline points. Safe to say, we were all the perfect embodiment of the perfect students last year. It pays off, though, because I have a CAR!

Boom-pow.

We still had to do everything that the fifteen and sixteen year old Sophomores had to do, so, it wasn't like we were seriously breaking the law (as long as we didn't get caught).

The only serious problem that we could run into is if we get some jank police officer who is super bogus about the age thing. Younger officers understand, because they actually took the time to read the new rulebook! Older people are like, 'No, no, they're too young to eat mashed potatoes' and then we get tickets. That hasn't happened to me, though it happens to Shikamaru _all _the time.

* * *

The light flashed into the car, the white beam aimed right in my eyes.

Shikamaru got us pulled over. HE'S SUCH A DUMBASS!

The speed limit is forty-five, okay, so why is he pushing sixty? Why? Tell me why!

I should've just walked home.

The funny thing is that my house is only about fifteen minutes away from the mall, and he couldn't even make it there before an old, wrinkly, raisin of an officer pulled him over. Ino was on the verge of crying, for she wasn't used to such tense atmospheres that involved the risk of going to jail, I was pissed because I could actually be going to jail, and Naruto was just bored. I'm guessing this happened more than it was recycled in the school gossip.

"License, please," The old man straggled, moving the light again so he could see Ino whimpering in a fetal position in the back corner, next to me. His eyes widened in shock.

Shikamaru blushed. "I-I-I—It's not what it looks like. She's just being troublesome."

"Troublesome because she won't let your snake in her hole?!"

Naruto hurled his head out of the window, dry heaving in disgust. I could feel my stomach plummeting down into the ground. That is _disgusting_!

"Sir," Shikamaru pleaded with as much patience he could muster, "I'm just giving my three friends a ride home from the mall."

"Okay, then let me see your license, young man."

I could audibly hear Shikamaru gulp, and his hands gripped the steering wheel tighter, in a white-knuckle grip.

Ino started crying, murmuring something about getting eaten like a banana in jail.

Naruto groaned.

I sighed. Shikamaru is not as smart as the IQ test says!

He scratched his head. "Um…I don't have it with me…actually."

"Okay, then your Learner's Permit."

There was a pregnant pause.

"I…don't have…that…either."

The old man laughed maniacally. "Then what are you doing driving?"

Shikamaru, for the love of Kami, Shikamaru, think of something that can save all of our asses. Well, at least mine, because, I happen to like my ass. It's so round and squishy.

"I'm Nara Shikamaru, sir. I'm sure you've heard of my father, Nara Shikaku, the owner of the Konoha Driver's Education Academy down on Deer Road."

"Why, yes I have." He smiled, and for a quick second I thought that we were off the hook.

The old man looked so sweet with his dentures all bright and shiny as he smiled so nicely. I knew that this was going to be alright. Ino stopped wailing, and Naruto even gasped from the passenger seat.

It was all going to be—

"But that doesn't mean you're not going to be under any consequence. You can drop your little friends off to their homes because they had no idea you forgot your permit (psh, Shikamaru _always_ forgets his permit), but I will be trailing you the whole way. I want you to stay the night at the station."

Shikamaru sighed. "Can't I just call my Dad?"

"No. You have to be put under a consequence. You did break the law."

He stared blankly at the smiling face of the white haired man that could play Santa Claus in the winter. "Can I pay it off once I get there?"

The police officer stroked his beard with his free hand. "I don't see why not."

Got a problem? Money will always be the answer.

* * *

My Mom was the first one sprinting out of the house when she saw the white, red, and blue lights following Shikamaru as he drove up into our driveway. She was in her robe and slippers, hair in rollers, and I pray she has on decent pajamas. You see, Kaa-san looks just like Momoko, with the exception of her hair being fire truck red and her eyes being a dark forest green color. So, yes, she's gorgeous. So, yes, if she's half-naked she might give the policeman a heart attack. So, yes, I want her in ugly PJ's and not her usual silk gown that could pass as lingerie.

And, just because I didn't want it, of course she was wearing it.

I opened the back door of Shikamaru's car in a hurry, and ran right in front of the woman who gave me life.

"Hi, Kaa-san!" I chirped with a goofy wave, "You should totally ignore the police car behind us. He's just there because our awesome meters are unlawful!"

She sighed tiredly, crossing her arms and sidestepping to the right. I sidestepped to the right too, blocking her way.

"Move, Cherry Blossom. I have to talk to the policeman."

I laughed, clapping my Mom's shoulder. "No, you don't. He's just waiting for the signal."

She gave me an incredulous stare. "What would this signal be, Sakura-san?"

My brain whirred for something believable, and my eyes searched for anything. Then, I saw it, faint but still golden and glorious, the 'M' lighting up the night sky beautifully. I threw two thumbs up in the officer's direction. "The Big Mac is in the wrapper!" I yelled slowly, as if it were a code.

I saw Shikamaru roll his eyes at my stupidity, and Naruto and Ino contented themselves with laughing deliriously at my predicament.

When the blue and white car refused to back out of _my_ driveway I growled. "Fine. Talk to the man."

THE WORLD WANTS ME TO DIE!

* * *

I was chopping carrots for my salad with a butcher knife because I was feeling super sadistic. Momoko was peering over my shoulder, pestering me to no end. It was as if she wanted me to turn around and slit her throat. Gosh.

"I always knew that you were going to be a delinquent, Sakura…" She sang from behind me, whispering in my ear.

I tried to ignore her.

"Maybe you'll be on the newest episode of Juvie."

Maybe I'll be on the newest episode of Juvie for murder.

"I would TiVo that."

Just as I was about to put a permanent dent into our counter, I heard the front door slam closed with an echoing BOOM, and soon after my Mom stomping in.

She stopped in front of me, arms crossed, foot tapping impatiently on the hardwood flooring, eyes obviously tired. "Haruno Sakura, I thought you more responsible than to take a ride from a boy without a permit."

I muttered. "Shikamaru has a permit."

Mom exploded like a ticking time bomb, arms lashing out as if to hit me, but quickly she crossed them, he mouth in a tight line, eyes forcibly shut. Momoko snickered in the background. What a bitch…

"Go to your room, Momoko. I need to talk to your sister," Mom said carefully, trying to control her temper. Of the things I've inherited from my mother, I think the most prominent is my temper. Dad is more calm, tranquil, and extremely understanding. I don't know what happened to Momoko. She's just evil.

Speaking of the devil, she smiled. "Of course, Kaa-san," and with that she skipped up the stairs.

I started cutting the carrots faster, into small, barely visible shards. It wasn't necessary, but the heavy _thump_ of the knife against the counter was somewhat comforting to me, and it was better than the silence.

She ran a hand through her red locks. "Alright, Sakura, I know this isn't your fault, but, I'm a mother. I get paranoid," She smiled, "Don't blame me. I would just think you would call your sister before anything else. She's been here all evening since about eight."

My interest suddenly skyrocketed as I brushed my carrot bits into my lettuce, crouton, shredded cheese, and chicken breast mix. Did my darling sister and her boyfriend get into a fight? Perhaps they broke up. Yes? YES!

I really hope so, because if they get married, Sasuke and I can't get married. Well, we can, but it'd just be a little weird. A little awkward. Just a touch.

"I thought she was on a date with Itachi," I murmured softly, pretending to search for my beloved Italian dressing that was in a cabinet below me. I love it. Crouching, I reached for the golden knob and swung the door open with a _click_. I wasn't really looking for the dressing though. I was really trying to avoid showing my mom the wide smile that had plastered onto my face when I heard her sigh, "Momoko said they got in a pretty big fight. She didn't say over what."

IT'S PARTY TIME!

I got up from my crouch and poured the mixture over my salad. "So sad," I pouted, putting on my sympathetic act, when I was partying inside, "They made such an (atrocious) adorable couple."

Mom nodded. "They _do_. I didn't say they broke up or anything."

_Oh, stop raining on my parade. _

"Well…how big was the fight?" I asked in between crunches of lettuce.

"I'm presuming large. I was just taking off my coat when she came rushing in, tears all over her face."

HALLELUJAH JESUS THE WORLD IS REVIVING ME!

I swallowed. "Oh, no!"

"Oh, yes. But, we should stop with the sorrowful news. How's it going with you and the younger Uchiha?"

I couldn't help the red blush playing on cheeks, or the happy smile.

"He asked me to be his girlfriend while we were at the mall,"

I didn't hear the creak of the stairs, or the quiet gasp in the background.

"And I said yeah."

I did hear my sister laugh silently, "Useful information, Sis…Useful information."

* * *

I hopped onto my bed, careful not to knock my laptop over. It's been months since I last posted a PublicPost and this one is getting crazy response, even from people I don't even really talk to. Like, well, I know who Naruto, Ino, TenTen and Hinata are, but, excuse me, who are these other losers?

I only added them because they're in my class.

I'll find out eventually, though. It's so funny because, lol, I think IQ is Shikamaru, even though he keeps on saying that he's not. I'm pretty sure, and, that's okay, because I think he knows who I am too. I don't care though. Shikashake can keep secrets.

My cell phone vibrated in my hand, and quickly,

_Every time we touch, I get this feeling_

_And every time we kiss, I swear I can fly_

_Can't you feel my heart beat—_

filled my ears, though I flipped the top open before Cascada could finish that verse. I didn't even have to check the Caller ID because, true to my Fave Five, only five people call me, and those people would be Kaa-san, Tou-san, Ino, Hinata, and TenTen.

Out of habit, I hummed, "Moshi moshi?"

Screams of unheard of decibels attacked my eardrums.

"WHOWHOWHOWHOWHOWHOWHOWHO!" Ino chanted repeatedly, sounding like a CD stuck on repeat.

I laughed, "Calm down, Pig. I won't tell unless you shush."

"Shut up, Ino!" TenTen ordered.

Hinata giggled. "Y-Y-Yeah, Ino. I want to know, too."

The other lines were on an echoing kind of silence, and I could hear my heart pounding in my chest. So, I was nervous. Doesn't every girl get nervous when they're about to tell their girl friends a huge happening that has to do with boys? I mean, it may just be me, though I doubt it, but, this close to school—which reminds me, I still have to pack my bags—which officially starts tomorrow, it's extremely risky.

Ino has a big mouth.

TenTen could circulate it to the Juniors.

Hinata has a habit of 'accidently' spilling.

I mean, I don't want the whole world knowing of me and Sasuke's undying love for each other.

I sighed. "I'll give you guys hints, okay?"

"Sure."

"N-No problem."

"IT'S KIBA!"

I removed my phone from my ear and stared inquisitively at the screen, pretending it was Ino's eager face. That was the third grade. Can't she let it go?

"Let me say the hints first, okay?"

Ino groaned. "Okay….IT'S NEJI!"

TenTen growled, and I could envision her throwing that softball that she's always tossing around at a random vase in her house. "It better not be!"

"I-I-It's not," Hinata laughed, "Calm down, TenTen-chan."

It is really hard trying to have a sensible conversation with them when it's pushing eleven. I glanced at my clock again, my eyes widening. It's ELEVEN O'CLOCK! I haven't even _packed _yet. Damn, damn, damn, damn—

"Tell us, Forehead. I'm tired and I don't want to look like the living dead tomorrow morning."

My heart pounded in my ears again. "Um-um…okay…its Sa—"

There were three quick knocks on my door before I could finish my sentence. "HOLD ON," I yelled, pressing the phone between my cheek and shoulder, and walking to my bedroom door and opening it.

My mouth fell agape, and I dropped my phone on the ground.

"We need to talk."

* * *

**Send PrivateChat Room 64 Invite To **_|[]-|[] _**and **_4Ev3rIllLov3U__**?**_

**…**

**…**

**Invite Sent.**

**...**

**Invites Accepted.**

**...**

**sippIN0ndathater-ade: **did Sakura hang up on you guys, too?

**|[]-|[]: **Yeah.

**4Ev3rIllLov3U: **Yes.

**sippIN0ndathater-ade: **…What do you think happened?

**4Ev3rIllLov3U: **IDK. She probably just dropped it.

**|[]-|[]: **You shouldn't worry. I bet she ran out of minutes. ANYWAY, I think I kno who Saku-chan is talking about.

**sippIN0ndathater-ade: **Me too! We'll say it at the same time, okay?

**4Ev3rIllLov3U: **Okay. Countdown! 5-4-3

**|[]-|[]:** two!

**sippIN0ndathater-ade: **ONE!

**4Ev3rIllLov3U: **Sasuke-san

**|[]-|[]: **Uchiha Sasuke, our favorite little bastard.

**sippIN0ndathater-ade: **SASORI!

**|[]-|[]: **And you honestly wonder y people call you dumb.

* * *

At first glance of the chocolate chip cookies in the platter that she was holding, and the smile on her face, I thought the world had gone wrong. Maybe it's opposite day. That would make a _lot _of sense. Why else would Sasuke ask me out? Why else would Itachi and Momoko get in a fight? Why else would the devil be smiling at me, offering me cookies?

My nose crumpled up. They could be _poisoned_.

I sneered. "What do _you_ want?"

My sister glared at me, eyes narrowed evilly, and I just had to return the gesture, because giving was receiving, and she was about receive a mouthful of my fist! SHANARRO!

She shook her head, and smiled again. "I, little sister, would like to call a truce. I have Itachi, you have Sasuke—"

I leaned against my doorframe, arms crossed. "How do you know that I have Sasuke?"

"You talk loudly and I spy well." She deadpanned, before groaning tiredly. "Look, I didn't have to be nice and bake us cookies. I didn't have to be nice and knock on the door. And I sure as hell do not have to be nice and wait for you to let me in."

I turned to my side enough to let her in, though I did so cautiously. This could all be a trap. "Fine, you potty mouth."

Momoko laughed, and for the first time in years it sounded genuine, as she sat on my bed, placing the platter of cookies on my nightstand, but leaving one in her hand, offering it out for me. "Cookie? They're Granma's recipe."

I smiled. "Yeah, sure."

Granma's cookies~~! (Oh, don't pretend you've never seen that episode of SpongeBob!)

* * *

"This?" I questioned, holding up the shirt to my torso in experimentation.

Momoko slipped another cookie into her mouth as she debated with herself. "Eh…well…I like the blue one better. It's pretty on your skin."

"Really?!" Okay, so, yeah, I'm getting a little too excited, but it's not everyday that Momoko compliments me so straightly. It makes me feel good inside, almost whole. Imagine if all your life you've felt lesser to your elder sibling, and then, one day, they show up at your door with cookies and a smile, sending you all these compliments that are completely genuine. It's overwhelming in a good way.

She nodded. "Why would I lie?"

The question lingered in the air. She had plenty reason _to_ lie. She had plenty reason _to_ start being randomly nice to me. I'll admit it, I'm naïve and I tend to succumb to temptation. But, would Momoko really use that against me? Why _would _she? She is my older sister after all, and, no matter how evil she is, she has some decency. Right?

My thoughts rotated, some being recycled, and some new, but I still smiled as I threw the tank top in her direction. She caught it and tossed it into my third suitcase. We're packing.

We continued like that until my closet was bare, except for a few straggling t-shirts, jeans, and jackets, and tiredly I plopped onto my bed next to my redhead of a sister.

"So…have you thought about my proposition?" Momoko asked, laying down, resting her head on one of my pillows. I would've yelled at her, but I was too tired, already cuddling under my sheets and into a pillow.

I shrugged. "What was it again, Momoko?"

She sighed, getting up, closing the top of my laptop, and placing it on the ground. I wondered for a second if I ever logged off, but, that disappeared when she got back under the covers.

"That I get Itachi and you get Sasuke unless they break up with the both of us then its free territory."

She murmured, falling victim to sleep. Neither of us had changed into our pajamas, but that was the least of my concerns. Why would any of that matter?

"I don't think Itachi-san liking me would even be an option…?"

She stared blankly at me, her tone suddenly sharp. "Really? Because you would be _so_ surprised."

Momoko twisted in the bed, yanking all the covers with her, her back against me.

The only thought running through my mind while my eyes slid closed was: What was all that about?

* * *

My alarm clock blared, forcing me awake, nothing but four hours later, and I embodied Ino's 'Living Dead' theory perfectly. I felt like a freaking zombie. I feel dirty. I need a shower.

Warily, I stripped the sheets off of me, and I was met by the morning cold. Dammit. I forgot how Mondays at six felt.

I looked around for Momoko, heck, I looked around for any trace of her, but I found none, none whatsoever. I raised an eyebrow but walked out of my room anyway, rubbing my eyes sleepily, and across the hall to the bathroom, only to run into a door.

WHO IN THE FUCKING HELL PUT A DOOR THERE!?!!?!

Then I heard my sister's (atrocious) singing, and then the rusty squeak of the shower being shut off, the water quietly trickling into nonexistence. I pulled my arm back, ready to knock on the maple like a mad(wo)man, but it swung open, and revealed a damp Momoko dressed in a red Aeropostale t-shirt that showed a little bit of her stomach and low-rise jeans with plenty of rips on them. The toothbrush was lazily lodged into her mouth, and _my_ green towel was wrapped around her coral colored hair.

I sneered. "What were you doing in _my _bathroom?"

"Taking a shower, you should try it some time. I suggest soon."

So much for her being nice.

Unconsciously I pouted, and my shoulders even slumped. You could say I was hoping for a nicer sister, I was hoping for her to start a new chapter in her life, to turn a new leaf. BUT I GUESS NOT!

I whined. "Yeah, but you took all the hot water!"

"How would you know that?"

"It looks like a freaking sauna in there." I deadpanned.

She shrugged. "Oh well. Cold showers can wake up that dead look in your eyes."

Well, damn, aren't her eyes going to look dead when I'm done killing her! All I would have to do is finish shoving that toothbrush that is somehow still in her mouth down her throat, hence making her choke and DIE.

Thankfully, just as I was about to pounce, my parents' bedroom door creaked open, and my dad stepped out, stretching, yawning, and managing to look like he was sleep walking with his eyes open. It wasn't until his brown eyes landed on me that he snapped into reality. "Oh, what are you doing awake, Blossom?" He asked, ruffling his platinum blonde hair.

I groaned. "Trying to get my shower in before school, but Momoko used the one in my bathroom and took all the hot water!"

He nodded slowly, looking like he was seriously contemplating my argument. "Okay, your side of the story now, Peach."

Momoko wringed her hair out a final time, shrugging. "Her bathroom was closer than mine," Her voice was a little hard to understand, seeing as she had started brushing her teeth.

I distorted my face in disgust. Who does that? Who brushes their teeth while holding a normal conversation? _That_—that is weird.

My Dad, Haruno Satoshi, one of Konoha's most prominent surgeons, was somewhat my idol. I want to be a pediatrician when I grow up, always have, always will.

The man, the only man of the house, scratched his nose. "You can use our shower then, Sakura. We just got the Spa System fixed, so, why don't you test it out, Baby Girl?"

My face lit up thirteen shades as I literally jumped for joy. I stuck my tongue out at Momoko and I sprinted toward my parents' bathroom.

I HAVE WON THIS ROUND, BEEYOTCH!

* * *

_A/N: This chapter kind of just flowed, because it _is_ a placeholder/ set up / further characterization chapter so don't expect early updates often. I want to aim to update every week, as in every Friday or Saturday, which should be particularly easy seeing as the year is almost over. _

_Another reason I updated twice in one week is because I will not be updating on __**May 7, 2010**__ because we have an 8__th__ Grade Graduation Dance which I will be preparing for basically the whole day. Then on Saturday, I'm sure I'll either be being a lazy hog or trying to write something up, but the chances of me finishing the next chapter in one day like this one are _very_ slim._

_Finally, I'm writing an Authoress Note, ne? _

_I have a question, though. _

_Which subject, out of each of the following choices, should the senseis teach?_

_Kakashi: _**a**. Math (Algebra or Geometry) **b**. Computer Sciences or **c**. Social Studies

_Kurenai: _**a.** Math **b.** Social Science **c. **Just The Volleyball Coach or **d**. Theatre/Drama

_Gai: _**a. **English/Lit** b. **Gym **c. **Theatre or **d. **Some Type of Coach (Track, maybe?)

_Asuma: _**a. **Health **b. **Some Coach or **c. **Economics

_Namikaze Minato (Naruto's Dad): _**a. **Principal **b. **Government **c. **Dead (AWWW!) or **d. **Superintendent

_Jiraiya: _**a. **Chemistry **b. **Gym or **c. **Geography

_Tsunade: _**a. **Principal or **b. **Physics

_Orochimaru: _**a. **Biology Konoha **b. **Biology Sound or **c. **Principal of Sound

_Danzo: _**a. **Superintendent **b. **Member of the School Board or **c. **Random Dude w/ Too Many Bandages/ JANITOR lolz

_Any more suggestions, I'm all ears. BTW, before you ask, Momoko means "peach" and, if you didn't know, Sakura means "cherry blossom". That's why Mr. Haruno called her a peach. Thanks for reading, and as always…_

_Review! _

_~NaruBaby2496 (seethroughglass) _


	4. pretty plz with a me on top?

Monopoly

_NaruBaby2496_

* * *

An old computer whirred heavily, and an even older receptionist, Ms. Koharu, looked at the screen with tired, small, beady black eyes, the white registration list reflecting on her tiny glasses. She used to be a board member until she got too old. Yeah, she's that old. Like, prehistoric.

PRE-pre-historic.

I don't even understand why she would rather work here, with all these rowdy, loud, rude, uncontrollable kids who don't know the meaning of 'Library' and 'Quiet Zone'. I don't care that this area isn't _technically _the library right now, but, I have a booming headache and I really just want to punch Kiba's head into a wall. He does _not_ know when to shut up. He's way in the back of the line, so tell me why I can hear him and his hyena cackle when I'm more than far away enough from him?

I rolled my eyes. Kami bless the stupid people.

I stood at the front of the monstrous line, carrying one bag in each hand, and my third I'd plopped on the floor beside me. They were stuffed to ultimate fullest, and my arms begged to release. If I did that, though, all my clothes and 'delicates'—ps, why do they call them delicates? Like, I don't get it…—would tumble onto the no-doubt disgusting dark blue carpet to be unveiled to the world. My nose itched from the smell of old, moldy books mixed with the brand new leather binding of newer books.

The woman tapped the screen again, her eyes peering over the edge of her glasses. "Hm…it seems that there's no Mamakura Sharumo here, young lady."

If I had not taken that (invigorating, fabulous, plain awesome) shower this morning in my parents room, I would've just said skip this shit and walked out in a storm. However, I had about a drop or two of patience left. She was straining it to its last though, this woman was.

"That's because my name is Sakura Haruno," I said slowly, enunciating each syllable, forcing a smile when I really wanted to scream.

The woman took off her glasses, but they hung around her neck because of the pearls connected to the ends. I bet all my life's savings those are fake and possibly plastic. They don't shine right. Ms. Koharu nodded slowly, "Could you spell that for me, doll?"

I rolled my eyes, "S-A-K-U-R-A."

"Uh-huh," She mumbled, typing onto the keyboard. "Last name?"

"H-A-R-U-N-O."

She smiled. "Fafura, it's still not showing up."

A nerve, I swear I felt it, popped out on my forehead in aggravation. What did she mean she couldn't find it!? I freaking spelled it out for her. What else can I do!?

I eyed the printer paper and the pen on her desk, and a light bulb lit up above my head, though not literally, of course, because that's just weird-o. "Can I write it down on a piece of paper then, Ms. Koharu? I'm sure it would help if you could get a visual."

Opposite of what I prayed would happen, she flashed red in anger. "Can't you see I've lost my bifocals, girl!? How can I read without my bifocals!?"

I really just want to cry right now. I want to cry for her. I want to cry for myself. I just really, really, really want to cry.

"I'm sorry, really, I am. It's just that I have repeated my name at least twenty times, I have spelled it sixteen, and I am sure as the sky is blue and my hair pink—"

Her face lit up as if what I said was the magic word. "Oh, you're a Haruno girl, yes? You and your sister have the oddest hair colors, I must say. Which would you be, doll, the younger named Sakura?"

Slowly, a smile creaked up my lips, and soon, I was grinning ear to ear. It was looking like this half-hour of my time was not a complete waste! "Yes, yes, my name is Sakura!"

She laughed, typing it into the system. My happiness started fading when her smile fell into a frown. "Wow, it looks like your choices as roommates have already been taken."

FUCK IT!

How could Hinata, Ino _and_ Kin (oh, silly me, I seem to have forgotten to mention her; she's a nice girl who works on the paper and plays the flute in band. She's my old pal from English I last year) already have roommates when I requested to room with them three months before final deadline! This woman is retarded, I swear to Kami.

"Miss," I droned, leaning on the desk and interlacing my fingers, begging, "I _know_ that you cannot read because your bifocals are missing (she's a dumbass, they're around her neck), but I _assure_ you that I _have _to have a room with either Yamanaka Ino, Hyuuga Hinata, or Tsuchi Kin. I asked to be roomed with either or them _months _before the deadline. There has to be some type of mistake."

She shrugged. "Sorry. The best I could do is get you a room across from Hyuuga Hinata and Yamanaka Ino."

"A singular room?!" I perked, getting off the desk quickly in excitement, forgetting that I had dumped my bags and, true to my guess, all my clothes were on the carpet. Singular rooms are as rare as diamonds here at Konoha Boarding and Preparatory. There were only two in each building. If you got one, you went down in history.

Ms. Koharu cackled like a witch. "Don't you wish, darling? It's a room with," She peered at the screen, "Kaori Karin and Haani Kaede."

My jaw dropped. There is no way in hell that I'd stay sane locked in a room with Karin and one of her cronies! I'd rather…well, not kill myself, because I'm awesome, but…I'd consider…

"Can we try co-ed?"

The lady laughed wholeheartedly. "We haven't had co-ed rooming since 1802, Sakura, doll."

She hasn't had her period since 1802.

* * *

I literally stomped to the Courtyard, steam forcing it's way to my ears. How could that _woman_ make me room with Karin and Kaede? They are the _worst_, I swear!

Kaede, ugh, what could I say about Kaede…that bitch. She, the brunette from the mall yesterday, was intelligent in her own right, but what I cannot begin to even _explain_ is the level of her kiss-ass-ity. It is annoying! And then she's always wearing her uniform wrong, with the skirt hem up higher than it should be, up so high that on Thong Thursday—okay, so, the boys happen to use her as main target for their perverting outlets, and, I, being an ear hustler, happen to listen in and then curse myself for keying in just because I was hoping for something I could actually use to help ruin her socially—you can totally see her underwear and, like, it's ugly and atrocious and gross. Why, do I hate Kaede so much, you ask?

It is a long, long, long, long, long, twenty billion more longs, story that I'll find time to tell later.

Now, Karin. Kaori Karin. I just hate her. Talking about her disgustingness will not even begin to help me ease my bubbling anger.

Upon nearing the entry of the Courtyard, it was where most people ate their lunches when the weather was nice enough, the grass as green as money and the trees, flowers and shrubs as lively as life itself, people made a pathway for me unconsciously as I burned every piece of greenery I passed. Safe to say, I was pissed off when I reached my group of friends circled lazily in the middle of the field, talking and sharing their room assignments and schedules on a purple blanket, no doubt brought over by Ino.

The said blonde girl glanced up to me with a smile, then back to TenTen, who she was talking to, but she did a double take, fully taking in my agitated expression within a few seconds. Her baby blue eyes widened in concern, "Omg, Sakura, what's wrong—"

I exploded like a ticking time bomb.

"I HAVE TO ROOM WITH HO-HAANI AND DOUBLE K-K; GET ME AN AK!"

The field shushed immediately, eyes, heads, and full-on bodies turned in my direction, staring at me with eager, anticipating eyes.

I whipped toward them, almost throwing my new set of room keys—two for the room, one for the laundry room, one for the shower room, two for our biology lockers, and two more for the locker room during gym—at some random kid with bright brown eyes who had no problem ogling at me, though I was right next to him. The ignorance of some people…

"Hello! How do _you _do?!"

The boy blinked. "I-I-I-um…"

"I DON'T GIVE A FUCK!"

Silence enveloped the field further when Ino decided to stand and talk off all those who continued their eavesdropping, and I sunk down onto the blanket, next to TenTen and Hinata, in between them. I wiped an angry tear as I started the story.

* * *

Hinata patted my shoulders sympathetically, nodding her head, and smiling sadly. "T-Th-That sucks. At least you get a room across the hall from us."

She shrugged, as did Ino. "Yeah. And we got Karin's other plaything."

She was referring to Karin's other third, Suzuki Midori, and the blonde annoyance we ran into at the mall. Midori is actually the nicest of the three, having the decency to talk to you before she decides whether or not you are of her 'level', and, if so, you're her lamb (she calls her friends lambs…), and if not, you get two chances per school year to become a 'lamb'.

We call her Suzuki because that's a type of car and if we're near her and have the guts, we pretend to honk horns and crap. It's hilarious, her reaction. She's all, "UGH, Haruno! You ugly-faced strawberry!" And then I would be like, "At least I'm not a car!"

Ah. Those opportunities arise quite infrequently, but they are so worth it.

"So, Pig? I got the two worst human beings on the face of this Earth. What's your schedule?" I asked, deciding my sulky-Emo-depression rant was over. I'll just have to deal with it, and maybe I can switch rooms with Midori. They are right across the hall, after all.

TenTen looked through her tote bag, pulled out a neatly folded piece of paper, and pointed to her gym period. "As always, it looks like I have Gai-sensei for Gym; at the end of the day, too." She sighed, "That means I have to go straight from Gym to volleyball, softball, or track."

My face lit up. "You're finally gonna try track this year?!"

The girl with cinnamon buns in her head groaned. "Don't even start with me, Haruno. You totally bailed on Ino and Hinata last year; what could you possibly do to convince me that this year you won't do the same?"

Last year was a long story. So, like, I was a Freshie, and all these really, really, really good people were trying out and then I saw Sasuke running laps and he just so happened to decide to take off his sweaty shirt and he was all glistening in the springtime sun and, my Kami, I knew right then and there that I would not be able to handle it at all. I mean, I didn't want to just bail on Ino and Hinata, but, then I would look at Sasuke, all shiny and god-like with the muscles and the glistening and the muscles and the hotness, and I seriously knew that I would not be focusing on not tripping over my two feet while running, which would end in my tripping, which inevitably follows me falling on my face, and then, like clockwork, the upperclassmen would all laugh and point and Sasuke would run over me like I was some rug randomly placed on the track oval! I mean, who wants _that_ to happen?! And, and, yeah, sure, I didn't want Momoko all alone with Sasuke but I figured since she had Itachi and she's was a Junior and he was a Freshman that she would leave him alone. But, no. Toward the end of the season, this huge rumor came out that Sasuke-kun was crushing on that chick with the pinky-orangey hair and the brown eyes and the Junior, so, duh, who else could that be?

I, like, fail, right?

"TenTen! You cannot even say anything because at least I went and, excuse me, you did not." I teased, pulling out my own schedule. I got pretty good classes this year, but I can't say unless I find out who're in those classes with me.

It looks like this, for the most part:

_**Haruno Sakura**_

_**Student ID**__**: 7832100**_

_**Homeroom Assignment: **__Hatake Kakashi, Building A, Room A107_

_**Class Schedule, Quarter One**_

_Homeroom (7: 45 – 7: 57):_ _Hatake Kakashi, Building A, Room A107_

_Period One (8:00 – 9: 00):_English HII_, Jiraiya, Building A, Room A218_

_Period Two (9:03 –10: 03):_Geometry Adv. I, _Hatake Kakashi, Building A, Room A201_

_Period Three (10: 06 –11: 06):_Physics HII, _Senju Tsunade, Building A, Room A001_

_Period Four (11:09 – 12: 09):_Sophomore-Junior Lunch, _Building B, Room CAFETERIA_

_Period Five (12: 12 – 1: 12):_History, _Morino Ibiki, Building C, Room B012_

_Period Six (1:15 – 2: 15): _**Gym Group C**, _Building B, Maito Gai, Room NORTH GYM C001_

_Period Seven (2: 18 – 2: 48):_**Health Group C**, _Sarutobi Asuma, Building B, Room A010_

_Period Eight (2: 51 – 3:51):_Biology, _Orochimaru/ Yakushi Kabuto, Building C, Room B223 _

_**Academics are not the only priority here at Konoha Board and Preparatory Academy; we also like to focus on the excellence in physical activity. Due to the sizes of each grades' classes, we have split Gym and Health classes into Groups A through D; this method has been used since 1998 and is very helpful toward us teachers. **_

_**Students in your Gym/Health Group: If you are a Sophomore, there will be a Junior in your Gym/Health Group, not Gym/Health class. Same concept applies for seventh, eighth and ninth graders. **_

_**If there is any problem with your Group assignment, come to the main office, A001, and ask Ms. Koharu for an updated schedule. Changing Groups will change some of your classes' order!**_

_**Below is a guide to help you with you further understand and comprehend you (and your friends') Group assignment.**_

**Group A Gym: **10: 06 – 11: 06 AM

**Group A Health: **1: 15 – 1: 45 PM

**Group B Gym: **12: 12 – 1: 12 PM

**Group B Health: **3: 21 – 3: 51 PM

**Group C Gym: **1: 15 – 2:15 PM

**Group C Health: **2: 18 – 2: 48 PM

**Group D Health: **12: 12 – 12: 42 PM

**Group D Gym: **2: 51 – 3: 51 PM

_**It is only necessary to take the class of Health for the first quarter of the school year, which is about ten weeks long. After that time, a student has many extracurricular activity choices such as Journalism I, Art, Photography, Woodshop, Home Economics, Cooking, and Interior Designing, plus many more. The class you chose will take the place of your current Health class. **_

_**The deadline for choosing your second semester extracurricular activity will be announced within the next two weeks. Once every spot has been filled, then it is your loss and you must choose another option. Otherwise, you will be stuck having a half hour free period with me and you **_**will**_** be doing my paperwork.**_

_**Signed Sincerely,**_

_**Lady Tsunade**_

I'm pretty pissed, though, because for the most part, I have to walk back and forth from Building B and C after lunch, and, well, they only give us three freaking minutes. The hunks of brick and cement are _that _far apart, if I was really determined to class I could probably make it from A to C in two minutes flat. The problem is, I happen to have friends, and I'm really bad at walking fast and talking at the same time.

Ino snatched the folded piece of light green paper out of my hands and compared it with her own, eyes analytical as she scanned the page.

"Okay Forehead…we have English Period 2 together…and…that's it…but we can walk to Building B together because while you have Gym, I have Health."

My blonde bubble of a friend is in Group A Gym and Health, TenTen is in Group D, I in Group C, and Hinata is in Group B.

Hinata gasped in excitement. "Awesome! I have English P. 2, t-too! That's r-really cool."

I nodded, "Yep."

All I really wanted to do was scream, because if me, Ino and Hinata got in the same English class, then the chances of some other people getting in that class with us were sky high, because there were only two Honors II classes for Sophomores.

A warm, thoughtful silence filled over our little area, as if all of us started thinking on the same page, and TenTen, being the one who could care less since she has her stupid _Junior Problems _(blegh), broke the silence by jiggling her keys.

Our heads snapped in her direction as if we were a bunch of dogs.

"I heard that instead of having to keep up with all these metal contraptions, Lady Tsunade and Minato-san are working on getting us _one _keycard that can take the place of all eight of these _and _our IDs." She informed with a sly smile, happiness glistening in the chocolate brown eyes. "Isn't that awesome? It's gonna take a while, but, I think it's worth wait. Word has it that Minato-san was the one who pushed the idea."

I smiled wide, happy of just the thought of relieving myself from all these damn keys.

Namikaze Minato is Naruto's Dad, even though they have different last names. I figured Naruto has his Mom's name just to keep the whole school population from hounding him everyday with questions of, "What's it like living with Minato-san?!" and "He's, like, the best Dad ever, right?!". His Mom is the Cooking teacher and a nice woman in her own right, joyful, funny, and a little quirky at times, a perfect match to our somewhat serious superintendent. Her name is Kushina, and Naruto obviously took after her personality wise, which is a good thing. I don't know what would happen if he looked _and_ acted like Minato-san. The secret would, more likely than not, be blown. Only I, Hinata, Neji, Ino, Shikamaru, and Sasuke know about it that I know of, but I wouldn't be surprised if Ino and TenTen started picking up on the hints.

"Awesomeness!" Ino shrilled, sounding louder than the warning bell telling us that there were only fifteen minutes until homeroom began.

The people resting against big oaks, maples, and birch tress, people leaning against walls and stair railings, and groups sprawled out on the grass started lazily rising up, walking toward their homeroom destination with loud chatter, so loud and mixed that it sounded like a CD put on so fast of a fast forward you couldn't understand a single word. Couples that were making out reluctantly split and walked their separate ways, except for the nice few boyfriends, who would take their girlfriends' bags and carry them for her.

One specific couple, oh, they looked so sweet together, and no doubt they had to be upperclassmen if not TAs or new teachers (some teachers actually want to stay in the rooming building reserved for them…), walked literally glued together, the boy having bright orange hair and plenty of piercings was nuzzling his violet haired sweetheart on the cheek, she blushing bright red, giggling cutely.

Let's just say that they looked like at many minute the dude would propose and she would squeal yes.

Hands on her heart, Ino grinned. "Aw, now if that's not cute I don't know what is!"

"I know…," I hummed, watching them walk in the direction of the Teacher's Assistant Room Building, "I wish _I _had a boyfriend."

TenTen, who was in the middle of agreeing with me, stopped nodding and whacked me (not so nicely) on the top of my head.

"Hey!" I yelled, reflexively covering my head with my hands as soon as her fist left it. "What was that about?"

The girl with the buns scoffed. "Sakura, you _do_ have a boyfriend, and he's over there with Neji-kun!" She pointed to a big water fountain on the far side of the field, where Neji, Naruto, Shikamaru, a few other boys, and Sasuke were talking. It looked like they already put their bags in there rooms. TenTen grinned mischievously. "You should go get Sasuke to walk you to your homeroom all lovey-like like that other couple."

Ino jumped into my field vision. "Yeah, Forehead, you totally should! Then all those biznatches will totally know that he is off-lims."

I bit my lip, glancing toward Hinata and hoping she would disagree with this bullshit. Instead, she shrugged. "I don't see why not, S-Sakura-chan."

"You all do know your going to come with me, then, right?" I groaned as they nodded like bobble heads on crack or something.

My friends will be the death of me, I swear.

* * *

Naruto's hand waded in the clear blue water of the water fountain, the cold reminding him that he really should be awake right now.

Well, that and the constant…

"YOSH! I do not believe it, fellow schoolmates, classes have almost begun! Is the excitement only running through my youthful veins?!"

…annoyance from Rock Lee, a Junior with shiny black hair in a bowl cut, big black eyes, long eyelashes and bushy brows.

The warning bell echoed to a halt and Kiba growled. "Damn, Lee, put a fucking lid on it. _Some _people happen to have sensitive ears." He complained, covering his own tan ears girlishly, a pout on his lips, eyebrows furrowed, eyes narrowed dangerously.

Sai, an exact copy of Sasuke in looks and an old friend of Naruto's, seeing as they both took art lessons until a certain Uzumaki grew out of it, smiled. "I believe that when someone acts in that matter, Kiba-san, that it is called being a pussy."

Naruto guffawed loudly, almost falling back into the water fountain, at the murderous look on Kiba's face, the glare obviously aimed toward Sai.

Lee gasped, breaking up the quiet chuckles and loud hollers. "That is not youthful, Friend Sai." His voice was as serious as America's economy, and Neji pinched the bridge of his nose.

"You ruin everything, Lee, you do know that, right?"

The Junior dressed in all green shrugged. "I am not aware, but thank you for informing me so youthfully, Neji-san!"

Another silence enveloped the area, until Naruto got up from the fountain, brushing his pants and adjusting the backpack on his back. "Well, I think we should get going, Teme…," He said in between yawns.

He and Sasuke were in the same homeroom (again), and they were planning to walk to the room together, just for the sake of not being alone. Sasuke could care less, but, Naruto couldn't stand being alone. It scared the little baby.

Sasuke eased off the trunk of a maple tree with a stifled yawn. He didn't get _any_ sleep last night.

Before he could take two steps away from the tree, Naruto was screaming something about how they couldn't leave because Sakura-chan and the girls were coming over here.

"We're going to be late, Dobe," Sasuke droned emotionlessly, bumping the blonde's shoulder as he past, in attempt to get him to follow.

A hand gripped his wrist. "But _Sasuke-teme_," Naruto whined falsely, a Cheshire smile on his face, "Aren't you going to walk your _girlfriend _to _class_?"

Dark eyes narrowed. "What girlfriend?"

For all he knew, Sakura was just some tool he used to be rid of those fan girls. She wasn't—

Naruto's sea blue eyes hardened, and his tone was stern. "She's your girlfriend, Sasuke. You're walking her to class, you're _going _to be a good boyfriend, and you wouldn't _dare_ hurt her, if you know what's good for you."

"And what if I don't know what's good for me?"

There was a cold, hard, tense quiet as the two best friends/rivals glared down, daring the other to do anything to them, to punch, to kick.

They didn't even hear the freshly cut grass crunch behind them, or feel the presence of four girls nearing them.

"Um…," a cherry voice quirked, "are you guys gonna make-out because your like, mega-close?"

* * *

Sasuke flicked his eyes away from Naruto's and right at me, looking so indescribably mad that I just wanted to turn around, run away, and call it a day. His eyes almost flashed red, but, his eyes softened some when he ripped his hand out of Naruto's grasp and back into his pocket, though I could see they were still in tight fists. Sometimes I don't even know how the two of them are friends.

"What do you want?" Sasuke muttered, staring at me blankly.

Ino (not so subtly) pushed me forward, and I would've stumbled onto Sasuke, but I reached my hand out to catch myself, and, whoop-di-do, my hand pressed against the iron-pressed button down dress shirt of a certain Uchiha. My face lit red when I realized how thin the material was, so much so I could feel his toned muscles underneath, even the _ba-dump _of his heartbeat.

Kami, I am going to kill Ino.

I removed my hand clumsily. "S-S-Sorry, Sasuke-k-kun. I-um-just wanted to-um—"

Naruto's face lit up from behind Sasuke, and he ran toward Hinata, hands open as if to give her a hug. Which he did. "Oi, Hinata-chan!" He smiled, squeezing the hyperventilating heiress, "You want me to walk you to walk you to your homeroom? I'll even carry your bags if you want."

Hinata's eyes were as wide as a deer's caught in headlights when she was realeased from the huge bear hug. "U-U-Um, y-y-yeah, sure, Naruto-kun. A-Arigatou."

Naruto picked up the suitcases with an award-winning smile. "No problem, Hinata. Don't mention it. Hey, Teme, don't you think you and Sakura should come with us?"

My heart pounded in my ears as I looked up to Sasuke, who was now sneering at the blonde, his shoulders tense, glaring.

Maybe I shouldn't have agreed in the first place. I should've said, "No, I'm flattered, really, Sasuke, but I don't want to be your girl—" Who am I kidding?! Me, saying no to Sasuke?! Psh, they world must've gone crazy.

He rolled his eyes and grabbed my bags, all three, without any hint toward having difficulty. "Who's homeroom are you in?"

A wide smile broke on my face, as did a pink blush. "Kakashi-sensei," I answered, butterflies migrating to my stomach.

He nodded and started toward Building A, following Hinata and Naruto, who had already started walking. I looked toward Ino, who just shrugged and mouthed, 'Follow him!'. TenTen was most likely asking Neji and Lee how their summer's were, what sports they were going to do, and if they were in the same homeroom. Shikamaru wasn't here today, which isn't too unexpected. He's hardly at school during the first week. It's been that way since kindergarten.

I bit my lip nervously and ran/skipped/prayed I wouldn't trip in these shoes toward Sasuke, who hadn't even waited for me.

When I reached him, I groaned. "You could _wait _for me next time, maybe."

Sasuke grunted. "Probably not."

"That wasn't a question." My eyebrows furrowed, as I crossed my arms, "More like a strong suggestion."

We turned a corner closer the building, and he laughed lowly, more to himself than anything. "That doesn't really make a difference."

I sped up until I was in front of him, and I stopped ahead of him, a defiant aura spewing out of my awesome veins as the morning breeze blew. "Look," I said strongly, "_I_ like _you_, I like you a lot, actually, but I'm not some bitchy fan girl that's going to stand by while you pretend your some type of new almighty, and I'm sure as hell not about to bow down. I'm your girlfriend, which makes you my boyfriend, but that could easily change, Uchiha, so you could at least pretend to care. Otherwise," I glared at him, "I might get angry."

OMG I'M LIKE THOSE COOL CHICKS IN MOVIES THAT STICK UP TO THAT ONE BASTARD IN SCHOOL AND THEN THERE'S A RANDOM DANCE SCENE AND OUT OF NOWHERE THE BASTARD HAS REACHED A NEW REVELATION AND HE'S ALL NICE AND NOT JERKISH!

Sasuke stared evenly at me, blankly even, until a smirk pushed its way onto his face. "It's cute how you think that intimidates me."

Okay…so maybe I have to glare harder next time…

* * *

_A/N: So, I found a way to update today, don't ask me how I did it, lol, but I did. Next week it should actually be school, well, at least homeroom, and I really want Sakura to meet her roommates. Sasuke isn't going to stay so bogus to Sakura, I guarantee it, because it makes me sad writing it. XD So, yeah. Count on the iceberg to start melting. Lol_

_I am a little sad because I feel like I sort of rushed the ending, but, if I didn't end it here, the chapter length would've been ridiculous. _

_Koharu is a real council member from Naruto. Look her up for looks and crud. LOL. _

_Um…that's all!_

_Review!_

_~NaruBaby2496 (seethroughglass) _


	5. kakashi equals bumsauce!

**iSpyCherryPie328**

_**is now online (*)**_

_Public Chat—_

**iSpyCherryPie328: **First week of school and first impressions on teachers and my dear roommates? x.x Oh, plz don't get me started! Anyone try out for fall sports and actually make it? (Besides me, because I totally made it past first cuts for Cheerleading!~)

**B0WchikaW0W-0W****: **Pretty sure I clenched my spot for Football. Wide Receiver, as I'm sure you know. winkwink.

**GreatWhiteSharkB1te: **Now isn't _that_ a dumb question. Of course I made the Swim Team…thanks for your adorning concern, hot stuff.

**.myIQsaysHi22: **The Shogi Team…Ibiki is considering letting me be strategist on the football team.

**ImABirdInACage56: **Football. Hoping for Quarterback.

**.Darkness2: **I'm going to be quarter.I'm not accepting less.

**.!.God.10!: **Football. Duh. Maybe I'll get WR, but I'll be fine with Tight End or even Halfback. I don't care as long as I get to run. XD

**sippIN0ndathater-ade: **AWESUM! I'm trying to decide between fall cheer and winter cheer, but if I pick fall I'll miss volleyball, but then you'd have to be all alone, Cherry! I'M SO CONFUUSEED!

**|[]-|[]: **You were about the only one who knew what they were doing at tryouts the other day, Hater; either try to do both or convince your BFF to do Winter Cheer instead of Winter Poms. I'm hoping for volleyball, of course, but I should be able to do tennis, too. Don't'cha think?

**4Ev3rIllLov3U: **ERM…maybe. You'd have to ask about practice schedules and work out the homework and stuff. I tried out for golf…hope I make it!

**40-40Vision: **Would you scream with me if I told you that Anko-sensei told me I would make a great cheer captain by time next year? SQUEAL!

**iSpyCherryPie328: **….She's lying to you….

_**Monopoly **_

_NaruBaby2496_

* * *

Sasuke kicked the door open to room A007, which I will now forever be, well, for the rest of the year, calling homeroom. The wood knocked against the back wall loudly, casting all the chatter to be silenced, all eyes zooming toward our direction, and zeroing in on Sasuke.

There was an ear-aching silence.

"Sasuke-kun…should I be scared?" I whimpered, scooting behind my 'boyfriend', hiding from the forming sneers by using his back as a shield. I peeked over his shoulder, and I was automatically engulfed by his scent, masculine but not…overwhelming. Somehow, just perfect, right in between.

He scowled. "Tch, I don't know ye—"

Screams reached decibels unknown, levels that should be illegal and impossible to accomplish by means of human vocal chords as all the girls in the room—except for Ino and a few more select—hopped up out of their seats, pounding their fists on the table/desk/thing of evilness and fire dancing in their eyes. I couldn't even hear Sasuke mutter a tired, "Yes…" to my question about being afraid, because I was too busy with that feeling in my gut telling me something was about to happen. Something bad or otherwise un-good; it bubbled like something red in the pit of my soul, until I was able to decipher it.

"GET OFF OF MY SASUKE-KUN!" A particular shrill demanded, reaching my ears immediately, making my eyes widen and narrow evilly, her gross red eyes locking to mine like magnets and narrowing equally.

The room hushed, all the other fan girls to afraid to yell at me anymore.

If Karin wanted to be that way, then, psh, fine, it was war. Bring it On: All or Nothing Bee-itch!

"Give me your hand," I ordered of Sasuke, my voice not like anything I could recognize anymore. I was past sanity. I was in a battle right now. (And, if you didn't know, psh, I am going to win because I am the human embodiment of AWESOME.) Sasuke's back went ramrod straight after hearing my tone, and he opened his mouth in refusal, but a loud, "TEME! SAKURA-CHAN! I saved you guys a seat," beat him to it.

I scurried out from behind Sasuke and ripped his hand into my grasp before he could complain, and I smiled sweetly at the jaws dropping to the ground once Sasuke just groaned, continuing to hold my much smaller hand as we went up the steps to the two seats Naruto saved for us.

The format of the room was much like that of our younger days when we were twelve, at the 'Academy' buildings. Hinata was tomato red, trying to stay conscious while Naruto talked about _something_ to her, and when Naruto talks, I'm just letting you know, he's never talking about _anything_. Don't ask why I had a sudden urge to italicize. Loser. Anyway, Ino was one row above them, sitting in between Shikamaru and Choji, Shikamaru was sitting next to Kiba, who was sitting next to Shino, a guy who has a _crazy _obsession with all things insect. I tend to stay away from him. Very far away. Sasuke and I's seats were next to Hinata, Naruto, and some random kid I'd never seen before, though he looked…decent, I guess, if not a little young for our grade. His hair was a shaggy, almost cherry red, eyes heavily eyeliner-ized (i just failed…) but a reflecting ocean blue.

I stared at him for a long while until Sasuke (rather rudely UGH) dropped my suitcases onto the ground with a loud _BOOM_. I couldn't complain about that, seeing as Sasuke was still holding my hand as he led me us through the semi-narrow allowance and into our seats, he sitting down on the bench next to Naruto, making me sit next to the silent redhead who didn't even move over to make our trek easier. It was as if he wasn't even trying to be rude, though. As if he could care less about anything in the world.

I must've been staring super-obviously and for a super-long time, mouth wide open, eyes like bugs, because Sasuke squeezed my hand, sending my head snapping in his direction, my eyebrow up in inquisition. "…What?" asked airily, to which he smirked that aggravatingly cute smirk and removed his hand from mine (WHY?), running it through his oddly styled hair.

"I was starting to wonder if you were mentally decomposing him."

My jaw dropped to the ground. Do I really look like that type of sick person who enjoys making human soup! Speaking of…I saw an episode of CSI, like, I dunno, last week, and a victim had been seriously liquidized. I almost barfed because, ironically, I was eating soup at that _exact_ moment. In case you're wondering, no, I do not feel comfortable around Campbell's anymore.

I sunk into my seat, leaning my back against the wood behind me, and suppressed a yawn, shaking my head afterwards, rubbing my green eyes a second later. Apparently if wasn't enough anymore to wake up and take an invigorating shower, and soon I would succumb to my family's coffee craze and become a caffeine-addict, then die, because caffeine is definitely a drug (a stimulant, actually), and, psh-aw, you can die of all drugs if abused, last time I checked. The only problem with that, I decided as my eyes slid closed, is that I absolutely abhor coffee. It smells gross, especially black coffee, and it, no matter what flavor, _will _stain your teeth. Why in the world would I want to stain my pearly whites?

"OHHH MAAAH GOD!" A certain blonde yelled, complaining, and shooting me out of my semi-rest. I glared daggers at her, because, seriously, I was _this _close to falling asleep, going into Dreamland and making crazy love to a certain boy who happens to have the name Uchiha. I'm a pervert. Sue me.

A vessel popped out on my forehead. "Would you put a lid on it, Ino?"

She pouted, "It's just that homeroom started like," Ino glanced at the clock above the door, "five minutes ago and the guy isn't here yet! I want to put my stuff away before Period Four!"

Shikamaru, who was also trying to catch some Z's glared halfheartedly at Ino then fell back into his folded arms, muttering his signature catchphrase, "Troublesome."

"I am not!" Ino growled, waving a fist by the sleeping Nara.

Naruto, for once having amazing timing, hushed our little group by pulling a gravel from who knows where and smacking it on his desk. Hinata jumped, obviously frightened by the noise, Sasuke's eye twitched (weird, right? I have to fix that…) in aggravation, his perfect eyebrow doing the same, Ino and I yelped, Choji dropped his potato chips, though he quickly pulled out a new bag, Kiba growled like a ballistic animalistic, and Shikamaru didn't move at all, apparently too sleepy to care.

The tanned blonde grinned widely, going into his backpack and pulling out a chalkboard eraser. "I have a welcoming present for our new homeroom teacher," He sung, moving the eraser from right to left in his hand, and his eyes brightened mischievously.

My eyebrow rose. What type of idiotic idea was he talking about _this _time?

* * *

Our eyes watched the top of the door anxiously; smiles cracking in a way we hoped were inconspicuous when the golden handle twisted right, a loud click echoing through the now silenced room. Somehow, I don't even know how Naruto got the whole classroom to agree to his little stupid (albeit amazing, I mean, wow, it's gonna be _sooo_ awesome!) plan of attack on our teacher, but it must've been his speech skills that he inherited from his Dad. Minato-san was the Superintendent for nothing.

A man with silver hair that defied gravity—it stood up, like, almost straight!—and a dark mask that covered his eye and mouth walked in reading a bright red book that I could only recognize as being Icha Icha Paradise, a series of porno books. He was working the usual protocol for our staff here, which meant he was wearing some normal black slacks, semi-fancy black shoes, a white formal shirt with a cool stitching on it that wasn't required, and his forest green blazer was thrown over his shoulder. The only thing that differentiates teachers from students in our school is that—the green blazer, vest, tie, or whatever else you can pull off during school hours. Gai-sensei, one of the gym teachers, chooses to wear a skintight jumpsuit and odd orange leg warmers. That is his choice, and, even though no choice is the wrong choice when it comes to opinion, his is wrong. It's just ugly. I'm not so sorry.

Time seemed to freeze as the eraser fell from the top of the door slowly, so slowly that I wouldn't dare look at the clock and see how many minutes passed. We all, as in the whole class including Karin-bitch and even the adorable silent redhead that I am now going to call Leprechaun because he's so small and redheaded, leaned up from our desks, trying to get the perfect view of the chalkboard eraser provided by Naruto fall on our new sensei's head with a puff of dust. It fell to the ground with a tumble, it echoing throughout the emptily silent room, since no one could yet tell if this guy was going to turn to face us and yell, giving us all detentions if we laughed, or if he himself would laugh, pick up the eraser from the ground, then resume as if nothing happened.

What we got was something in the middle. The man with the silver hair bent down and gripped the black and white eraser, dog earring a page in his book and shoving it in his back pocket. He examined the eraser as if he'd never seen one in his life before, then he strolled lackadaisically to the board, placing it in its respectable holder. When his back turned, Sasuke scoffed something about not believing a teacher fell for something as juvenile as that, and Naruto pumped his fist in the air, guffawing. "Ahahaha! You fell for it! You fell for it!" The class erupted then, well, really the majority did, and Kiba patted his shoulder to get the blonde's attention, sharing a high-five before the teacher turned back around and scratched his nose, eyeing each of us individually. We hushed immediately under his cynical gaze.

His only visible eye slowed when they reached our area, and I felt a lump, no doubt guilty, rise in my throat and my heart rate increased tenfold. He was staring at me. Staring through my soul and he was thinking I was bad even though I'm a good girl! I-I-I-"I'm so sorry, sensei!" I blurted/apologized, shooting out of my seat, bringing my hands to my face in faux shock, "I tried to stop Naruto, but…"

Oh. My. God.

Everyone audibly shifted in my direction, disbelieving looks mirroring in their expression. Had that made me the biggest snitch in the frigging planet or not because I kind of have a feeling that it _does_! That prank was, like, perfect! Everything went as planned and I had to ruin it by telling on Naruto, who was currently hyperventilating in his seat and crying, "Why, Sakura-chan, why, why, why!"

I scratched the back of my head sheepishly and smiled. "U-Um, sudden impulse?"

"Ahem," The teacher cleared his throat, an action that sent all bodies forward, attention toward him. Believe what you want, but we're respectful students in the classroom. Usually. Well, not really, actually, if you considered the most recent. He rubbed his masked chin, "Hmmm…How can I say this…?"

It seemed like he was talking to himself, and my thought was only strengthened when the corners of his mask raised in a way that made it look like he was smiling, and his eye crinkled. However, then he stared levelly at all of us students, his smile still in place.

"My first impression is…I don't like you guys."

Was it just me or was it, like, raining fail in here?

Okay, maybe it's just me.

* * *

Homeroom passed by very quickly, considering there was only about three minutes left of it when Kakashi-sensei decided to show. When we interrogated him on why he was late, he said something about a dying cat and a pregnant elderly woman.

You'd have to be mentally stupid to believe that.

With seconds left before the bell would normally ring, a anime style exclamation point appeared over his head as we all started to stand, gather our baggage that we _still _had because he arrived to late for us to even dream of making it to the dorm building, finding our room, and making it back to homeroom before Period One was a quarter done. He rose from his nice, comfy, swiveling desk chair, closed his precious book, and caught all of our attention by dropping the heavy porn novel on his desk.

"The bell does not dismiss you, I do—"

Naruto groaned out loud, pouted and throwing a mini-temper tantrum. "But Kaka-sensei! We're going to be late to—"

"Shut up," Kakashi said, pointedly glaring at Naruto, who just jumped a little in shock. A few people snickered, but that was cut off when our bipolar porn-addict teacher smiled. "I was getting to that, actually, Naruto-san. We will be staying in homeroom for forty-five minutes today, which means you all have about a half-hour left with me and no Health today."

A few woots and cheers later about not learning about Sex Ed (That was the Sophomore curriculum, along with a couple days of Date Abuse such as Date Rape, Date Violence, and all that jazz! How fun! _sarcasm_) today, we were all back in our original seats, though a few people, like Karin and the other brave fan girls, forced a few guys who were below Sasuke and I to move so they could sit down there. I had the urge to take some of the sharpened pencils now magically on our desks—maybe I just didn't notice them before?—and stab Karin's head with it, thus killing her and her nonexistent brain, but Kakashi-sensei had started speaking, a big pile of papers in his hands.

He raised his hand and raised his hand, half-pointing toward a kid closer to the door, whereas our group was closer to the windows. "You," Kakashi-sensei called, "with the weird half Mohawk…thing…ponytail…mullet…. whatever that's called on your head." **(A/N: Okay, if you really must see him, he's the kid on page six of chapter four of Naruto that is cheesing EXTRA hard. I changed the hair a bit, though.) **The boy with the rusty blonde hair done up in the most unorthodox style—besides Sasuke-kun's, of course—thrust a hand on his chest and scrunch up his face. "Huh? Me?"

Kakashi nodded. "Uh, yeah, _you_," A few people snickered at the quick joke, "Pass these out." He waved the papers around, making a weird hollow popping noise fill everyone's eardrums, and the boy made his way down from the top row of desks to the front, where Kakashi was waiting expectantly. He took the sheets in his own arms, starting by giving everyone in the front rows, those unlucky folks, their papers. He was taking his time, I mean, it was either that or he was having unacceptable issues with separating the pieces of killed trees one by one.

I took this opportunity to twist around and facing Sasuke, staring at his face until he looked at me. Because he was going to look at me, damn it! Besides, Ino was already talking to Shikamaru and Choji—they were always together, like an inseparable team—, Naruto was talking aimlessly with Hinata, Kiba was asking Shikamaru who to remove fleas from dogs' coats, to which Shino brooded, and my little Leprechaun was…still silent. I glanced toward him and felt a sudden rush of cold air, like an A/C. Somebody's an human iceberg.

Sasuke glanced at me, his eyes questioning. "…You're staring at me why?"

BECAUSE I WANT TO MAKE OUT!

"I, um, well…," My face flushed red in embarrassment. I hadn't planned on him actually wanting me to have a reason for staring at his beauty and wanting him to do the same! At me! My brain roamed for something to talk about, and, though I'm usually The Conversationalist, second to maybe Ino, I came up with the most stupid question. "What's your favorite color?"

Sasuke stared blankly at me for a long while, his expression unreadable, and I felt like the stupidest being on the face of the Earth! Why, did like all the gods in the world that I believe and don't believe in decide to gang up on Haruno Sakura of Konoha and, I don't know, make her look dunce!

Then, though, a smile (yes, smile), bright, white teeth perfect, and cute little dimples on his cheeks, the smile framing his face angelically, making him look even more handsome. I didn't even think it was possible. When the blood rushed to my cheeks with more vigor, he went and did it again. With a laugh, a throw your head back, clutch your stomach, wipe your tears, laugh. And, oh Kami, it sounded so perfect.

When Naruto stopped talking, slowly, our little area shushed, and listened to the sound, being enticed.

Then, though, he sent a glare toward them, and a hiss.

_AWKWARD_.

He faced me, a crooked smirk now replacing the smile. "I have two," He flashed two fingers in my direction, making a peace sign, "actually. Dark blue and black. What about you, Haruno?"

I grinned, happy for conversation. "Um, I like green and purple, but more like pastel green and neon purple. They look weird together, though," I scrunched my nose cutely (I hoped) at the expression on his face, "What were you expecting; pink?"

Sasuke's eyes lit up some, as if I'd just shaken him out of some reverie or something. Then, he shook his head, "No." He answered slowly, staring at me for a long while, then facing forward and taking the four sheets of paper that Leprechaun had passed to us from the blonde kid. He gave me my sheet then passed the other two to Naruto and Hinata, running a hand through his hair and murmuring, "Nope," to what I think was himself.

I pinched my own arm, convincing myself this was real life and not some dream. The migration of all the butterflies to my stomach at the way Sasuke had looked at me a couple a minutes ago…; it was unreal.

"OI! What is this, Kaka-sensei? Some survey?" Naruto yelled out loud, something that almost made me piss myself. That was scary! Random loudness of Naruto is like random lightning bolt on your front lawn.

My interest was piqued, though, at Naruto's statement, and I looked down at the coral colored paper with black large font on it, only two questions on it. The first was, 'What are your likes and dislikes/hobbies?' and the second was, 'What are your dreams and aspirations?' Then, there was some thing on the bottom highlighted about saying if you didn't fill in something sensible you weren't going to pass homeroom, and that everyone has a dream, and, no matter how inappropriate, he wants to know.

Of course, Kakashi would want to know the inappropriate dreams. I sighed, and grabbed a pencil, filling in the first question easily, glancing up toward Sasuke for the second.

No one else better read this, or I will personally rip their eyes out. Cha bitches.

When Ryo, that was his name, came back around to collect our papers, going from the very top row to the bottom and handing the completed pile to Kakashi and voyaging to his seat. Safe to say he was pretty much winded by time he passed my row.

Only a maximum of ten seconds passed until Kiba decided to say something retarded. "Hey, Kakashi-sensei, how come you answer those questions for us? Pretty," he laced his hands together, pleading, "please?"

Naruto glanced up to him, a Cheshire grin rising on his face. "Yeah…Kaka-sensei…," He started slowly, "Why don't you introduce yourself?"

Ino, from directly behind me, I could hear her murmuring in agreement, and soon the whole class erupted, chants of 'Do it!' rising in the air. I smiled up to Sasuke—because, duh, he is tall—while I was pounding my fists on the desk. "Come on, Sasuke-kun! It's fun!"

He looked at me swiftly. "No."

I pouted. "Please?"

"No."

"Yes?"

"No."

The look on my face must've done it, the big, round, pretty green eyes, and my puppy dog lips, because he soon rolled his eyes after clenching his jaw in defiance. "Fine," He seethed.

I had a little mental party of triumph, though it was cut short when Kakashi raised his hands defensively. "Alright, alright. Stop the bullying—" We laughed a little, and then he wiped imaginary sleep from his eyes, "Well…my name is Hatake Kakashi and I'm a teacher. I don't want to tell you my likes and dislikes, I have a bunch of hobbies, actually, and," He looked down at the sheet, smiling in amusement, "Dreams and aspirations! Wow, great question."

My jaw fell to the ground. He'd only told us his name; and we already knew _that_! I can already tell that this is going to be an awesome year, already! Wow…again with the sarcasm…what is wrong with me today?

It was when the groans and complaints from my classmates got loud that Kakashi glanced up from his book and to the clock. He sighed. "You can leave now. I don't really care where you go as long as you don't stay here. Bye."

This caught the attention of my Leprechaun and he raised his hand politely, waiting for Kakashi to call on him, which what he did after a minute. "There are still fifteen minutes left of homeroom, Kakashi-sensei…," He informed in a dry, emotionless, and deep voice. It sent shivers up my spine, really, but I still had a soft spot for him. He's so cute with his eyes and the kanji on his forehead that means love—what? He has a forehead tattoo….awww….

Not like I'd ever do that. No need trying to make _my _forehead look bigger.

Kakashi laughed. "And? Look—you are all, what, fourteen, fifteen, maybe those straggling sixteen year olds? Yeah, your still 'supposed'," he put air quotes around the word, "to be in homeroom but I am also 'supposed' to instill in you the sense of self-belief and freedom. So, go be free while I find out how Ai's threesome with Shin and Daisuke is going, k?"

* * *

"Kakashi is a bum," Naruto complained, stuffing a plain bagel in his mouth, walking with me, Sasuke and Hinata to our building, since Ino had already dropped her stuff off before homeroom began, which was a really good descision that I would've taken if Ms. Koharu wasn't being such a stupid. My name is _not _that hard to understand!

Before I could start a rant about her, we reached some stairs and I stopped to grip my portion—lol, it's actually a funny story how I was like 'Do you think woman are weaker than men or something?' and he was all 'I'm just being…chivalrous?' and I groaned and took one of my bags, even though it was the lightest one, acting like I was all awesome and stuff—of my luggage, heaving it up higher on my arm, preparing for this flight of stairs.

I struggled up the first few then stopped, wiping sweat off my brow. It was the lightest, yes, but, um, I am of the female species and I happen to enjoy clothes, maybe not the shopping part, but clothes are awesomeness. Even if they may weigh about half of me. I grunted and lifted the purple bag up one more stair, feeling my arms shake like jelly. I'm far past out of shape, and even if I was, I have no upper body whatsoever, and we've seen like seventeen billion stairs! Why don't we have elevators!

(Well, actually we do, but during another one of Sasuke and I's arguments, I refused to use it because I am woman and therefore I can do anything he can do better…and in heels. Boo. Cha.) ((Really, though, I've tripped more times than I can count in these things!))

When I was a little _too _far behind everyone else, Naruto looked back and clicked his lips. "Oi, Sakura-chan, can _I_ help you—"

I glared at him. "No!"

I was past sanity. I am going to get this damn luggage up all the stairs, because I've got them all accomplished and this is the last flight and there's like, what, five steps left? I can do this, I can do this, I can so—then the wheels on the back of the luggage started sliding, and before I could grip it, the power of gravity had sent the purple rounded rectangle down the steps.

My mouth popped open then, but, just to make my life _worse_ somehow it tumbled around the corner and down the next flight of stairs, then the next one, and the next one, and, must I continue? It all ended with a loud _THUMP_ on the first floor of the building, six floors and plenty of steps lower than where the four of us were.

"I-I-I-THAT'S NOT FAIR!" I cried, stomping on the metal I was on like a four year old who had been denied their chocolate. But I was mad. The world was out to get me, I _swear_! Does that happen to normal people?

Then it dawned on me; maybe I'm not normal. Maybe I'm some freak that has pink hair and sometimes when she's bored eats her popsicles with a spoon!

Sasuke looked down at me, for he was on the floor that I and Hinata's rooms were, took a long time looking, then he sighed, hopping from stair to stair as if he weren't affected at all by the stairs we just climbed. He stopped next to me and rolled his eyes. "Are you just going to stand there the whole time, pretending that your suitcase is going to _magically_ appear next to you, or are you going to get it?"

I blinked twice. "Was that a rhetorical—?"

The next thing I knew was that I had a new warmth on my hand, and I was being yanked down all the flights of stairs, barely able to keep my footing. Then, he stopped, not even fazed by my heavy uneven, breathing.

"Are you crazy!" I yelled at him, following as he walked toward my fallen purple suitcase, weaving through the somewhat heavy crowd of people. Everyone in your building kind of hung out on the base floor, so I wasn't too surprised by the crowd, but by a couple taps on my shoulder.

I turned around and was surprised out of my mind. Maybe it had to do with the multiple amounts of flowers being shoved into my face, but that's just a guess?

* * *

**A/N: **A week late, I know, and I'm sorry! LOL, this just took a _really _long time, even though it shouldn't have. I was busy with the last weeks of my school year! BOO-CHOW! But, finals really sucked.

I got a 96 on the multiple choice section on my Algebra test!

Ha, but then I got a 60.47 (POINT FOUR SEVEN!) on the short answer.

I did better on my Spanish though, I got a 98, and, Hallelujah, there wasn't a pronounciation part. I have _the _worst accent in the word. LOL.

Anyways, things to look forward to next chapter: Answer to this cliffy, a short tidbit of one of the three morning classes and I hope lunch, _and _either a jealous Sasuke or a jealous Karin, possibly both, and _most definitely….__**SASUSAKU! **_This day of school is most likely going to be a three-parter, with this first part, the next one, and then the one after that, with the fall sports tryouts.

Okayz, if you didn't notice, Sasuke is melting! YAY!

**Anyway, review!**

**~NaruBaby2496**


	6. Her Ass Ment

Monopoly

_seethroughglass_

* * *

Chapter Six:

did you know that harassment sounds like her-ass-ment?

* * *

Flowers, no doubt handpicked daises, posies, and—were those dandelions? What is this freaking Beanie doing shoving dandelions in my face? I growled, "Konoha_maru_! Back off; I'm allergic!" Just to prove my point, my nose decided to enrage in a tickling fury, and I was sneezing like there was no tomorrow.

"Bless you, Sexy," He said slyly with a conniving grin after the long torrent, and I just glared at him, wiping the water from my watering eyes off my cheeks.

Konohamaru is Sarutobi-sensei's—the old principal now Council head second to Namikaze-san—grandson, and the most atrocious being in the world. He's like a little Naruto copy, but not in appearance, seeing as he has big dark brown eyes and an uncontrollable mass of cocoa colored hair on his head, an always-permanent blush playing on his cheeks. Just like his blush, a green beanie cap was always on his head, hence his nickname I gave him, Beanie. Really, though, all kids who are in the Academy Building are either called that or Bean, because they're so cute like little jelly beans with so much and energy and cuteness!

I narrowed my eyes, swatting the yellow weeds out of my face and onto the floor. They're all cute accept for _him_. "Go dig a hole and bury yourself in it, Bean."

He gasped, looking with wide eyes at his flower arrangement fall to the ground, a quiet thump proof I'd really knocked them out of his hands. Konohamaru squeaked, "Sakura-babe…I—I thought that—"

"Take a hike!"

"Only if it that hike takes me to the highest place of your heart, for it is more valuable than me than the underwear of yours that I got out of your suitcase when it fell." He then pulled out a pair of my panties, taking a long sniff, "Smells just like strawberries…"

My face convulsed; what level of pervert has this kid reached in only the sixth grade! Konohamaru is eleven and he's going through my underwear luggage—my eyes widened. "My luggage fell _open_?" I asked, not even caring to hide my ultimate shock of the coming embarrassment that would no doubt follow if it really did come open. I could've sworn I zipped it, though…

Konohamaru smiled sheepishly. "Eh, no." My lip glossed lips narrowed into a tight line, fists tightening threateningly, eyes hard and evil, until he held up his own hands in defense, shoving my lacy blue and yellow polka dot underwear in his back pocket. He laughed, "Calm down, sweetie pie. I took the liberty of taking all of your 'sexy' underwear out just in case some other pervert came around and did that. You can trust me, Sakura-babe. I'd never, ever, ever, set you up for that type of—"

A gloved black hand slapped onto Konohamaru's shoulder, and he yelped, his face paling a couple shades. I scratched my pink head nervously when I felt an equally perverted gaze on me, and, unlike with Konohamaru, where I had the comfort of threatening him, I couldn't really do so with him.

His black glasses flashed in the sunlight from a window. "Oi, Sakura-chan…you've gotten very," he cleared his throat uncomfortably, "pretty…over the summer."

"Arigatou…Ebisu-sensei," I muttered, feeling the sudden need to cover myself. Wasn't this like, I don't know, sexual HARRASMENT?

When Ebisu, one of the sixth grade teachers and the swimming coach, finished ogling at me, he smiled. "Don't mention it," He said quickly, falling back into his usual demeanor, which was a cross between cold, harsh, and strict and an emotionally constipated robot.

Most people wouldn't even believe me when I say that he is, in fact, super-pervert, except for those in my Science class back in sixth grade, when Naruto brought in a picture of his older sister in an orange bikini at the beach. He was going to sell it to Kiba for a couple bucks, but Ebisu had walked by and started to collect our pop quizzes. When he passed by Naruto, picking up his quiz, he had also taken the paper sized picture that was underneath it with him.

While grading our quizzes, Ebisu gave us a half-hour for quizzes, and the other half-hour he used to grade, he stopped at one quiz, and stared, his glasses falling off, black eyes bugging out of his head. He sputtered awkwardly, and then smacked a hand to his nose, blood trailing him when he sprinted out of the room. Seconds later, we got this kid named Julienne to check what had made Ebisu-sensei freak out as he did, and she brought back the picture of Naruto's sister, a huge bloodstain on it.

Now, no homo or anything, Naruto's sister is gorgeous, even though she looks just like her brother, right down to the funny birthmarks on his cheeks. Her hair was done up in pretty pigtails, long golden blonde hair flowing. Don't ask me what her name is or anything, I've only seen her in person, like, twice, and that was when I was younger. She's twenty-something, living on her own, past college years. Naruto even told me that she is engaged now.

ANYWAY, before I start talking about her and her ultra-smexy fiancé, I'll say that Ebisu is a pervert. And, ha-ha, he's been looking at me since about two years ago. Its creepers.

Konohamaru's groaned snapped me out of my reverie. "Ugh! Ebisu-sensei, can't you just leave me be to flirt with my girlfriend!"

"_Your_ girlfriend?"

My eyes fell like magnets to Sasuke, who was standing, apparently, behind me, a heavy, dark, threatening aura spewing from his awesome pores. I could bet all the money on my Charge Card—at school, we get these 'credit cards' with money supplied from our parents on them. There's certain limits per day, per weekend, per week, per month, per semester, and/or per quarter. My weekly limit is a hundred bucks, and that's to buy food, snacks, extra supplies, and really anything else on campus. Some stores and restaurants accept them, too, which I think is cool. There's not really a reason to lug around a half empty wallet when you could just stick a card in your back pocket—that the Uchiha was glaring daggers at Konohamaru, imagining him burning into combustion.

Ebisu gulped, gripping the Sarutobi-kin's shoulders protectively. "Ah, hello, Sasuke-san. It's nice to see you."

Dead silence was the sensei's reply, and a purple luggage was placed silently at my side, Sasuke's arm wrapping like a snake around my waist afterwards.

I couldn't ignore the burning heat that flared at the contact, nor could I ignore the blatant fear in Konohamaru's eyes. He had just made _the _biggest mistake in his life, and he knew it. Ebisu felt the deadly rays being shot at them, as did I, and the aura tightened with the intensification of Sasuke's glare.

"Well, we'll be returning back to the Bean's Dorm, then. I'll see you two around," Ebisu sputtered awkwardly before pulling Konohamaru away, tugging his ear with one hand, waving goodbye by flicking his wrist with the other.

I blinked twice, and the warmth once around my waist was gone in a flash. I looked around for Sasuke, then my suitcase, only to see him making his way to the stairs, underneath an arch.

I scuttled –aka ran as fast as I could in these heels—to him and smiled. "Can we take the elevator?"

"What; you don't want to prove your twisted feminist beliefs by walking up six flights of stairs?" He smirked, foot already placed on a step.

Ah, that stupid smirk again. Psh. He thinks I'm just going to groan and swipe the suitcase out of his (strong, amazing) hand and storm up the stairs just because he threw in a female/male argument. Well, NO. That is so not happening, losers.

A hand popped onto my hip and a replied. "No, of course not, Sasuke-kun."

His dark eyebrows rose in surprise.

"I just want to honor the second best, only to the internet, invention ever to be created." I sung, turning quickly and strutting—yes, strutting, because I am FIERCE!—in the direction of the elevator, expecting Sasuke to follow me because I am strutting—yes, strutting, because I am FIERCE!—away from him.

By time I reached the big, shiny doors of the elevator, about to press the 'UP' arrow, he was right next to me, my pretty purple suitcase in one hand, my two others in his other hand. He ran up all those stairs and back down really fast…but, nevertheless, I had a comeback in my head and I was going to use it.

I grinned. "Oh, you don't want to walk up the stairs to prove your twisted male-pride beliefs by walking up six flights of stairs?"

It took a long while for that smirk to curl his amazing lips, and all the time in between him glaring at me I was begging the elevator doors to open. Whenever an Uchiha glares at you, you get a flash of your whole life playing in your mind, from the moment you were born and then all the many ways you could die. It's a scary experience, let me tell you. But, when his trademark-crooked smile filled my vision instead of my own dead carcass, the fear in my body dissipated into fuzzy warmth.

He chuckled. "You're annoying, you know that?"

"Yes," the light above the elevator _ding_ed on, and soon the doors opened, interrupting me. We walked in after a few kids came out, both male and female—There's coed living in this building, though the genders are separated by floor. Girls get even numbers, and boys get odd— pouring out of the machine, backpacks slung around their shoulders and maps of campus in their hands. That was usual for the first day—but, OMG! Did I mention that Shikamaru was, like, never at school during the first day? Why was he freaking in homeroom?

I'll ask someone later. Right now, I'm in an elevator. Alone. With Sasuke-kun.

SQUEAL!

* * *

When the silver doors slid closed with minimal noise and that cheesy elevator music I expected actually turned out to be a song from our millennia—and a good one at that; it's by Neon Trees, called Animal. Check it out!—filled my ears, nerves really began to set in.

I was in an elevator. With Sasuke-kun. Alone. When you switch the order around mentally, you get a completely new perspective, let me tell you. Just think of all the things that could go wrong! He could get all 'excited' and decide to 'rape' me, air quotes because I wouldn't exactly fight it per se, but, I wouldn't exactly want it. I'm 100 percent virgin, and, I was kind of saving myself until marriage. Unlike some people, I have morals and standards, and I will definitely not lose my virginity in my school's elevator. Try again.

"What floor are you on?" Sasuke asked me, taking a long step to the button panel, his finger hovering over no button in particular. The little electronic message board above the panel turned on, and a picture of Tsunade-sama, our principal, filled the screen, replacing the school's symbol of a leaf and the floor level 'MAIN FLOOR' above it.

A song, more specifically, one of the songs used during announcements, droned out the elevator music, and Sasuke and I's attention was shortly averted to the mini-television set. "Hello, students, welcome to and welcome back to Konoha Boarding and Preparatory Academy for sixth through twelfth graders, where excellence is expected. I assume you are all in your Dorm Buildings, settling yourselves, meeting roommates, and making new friends already, but I have an announcement specific to our High School level students." Her hazel eyes hardened, and she snapped a pencil that was in her hands. "Public Display of Affection is against the rules at this establishment and _anyone _who is caught will be severely punished. Also, Uzumaki Naruto, you have a Saturday Detention in my office for spray painting the statues of past principal—"

I was getting seriously interested, but Sasuke had pressed a button on the set that returned the screen back to normal. My favorite song in the world also came back on, droning out Tsunade-sama's coming tirade about Naruto. Sometimes I wonder how he finds time to pull the pranks he does when we were only allowed fifteen minutes to get to our building then back to Period 1.

In that uber sexy voice of his, he asked again, "What floor are you on, Sakura?"

"Oh!" I squeaked, hopping up a little. I apologized, "Sorry, Sasuke-kun," while digging into the pocket of my skirt and retrieving my keys. I looked at the embossed '6' on the gold that was probably brass, then my eyes followed to my room number, 's not good. (Just kidding, really, they don't give kids rooms with taboo numbers like that. It's really 669.)

I answered, "Six," to which he nodded and pressed the 'six' button, it lighting up yellow and the message board saying, 'Now taking you to floor six. Anymore floor levels?' After a few seconds of nothing happening, the elevator started moving upward. 'To floor six.'

Sasuke took a another long stride back, to where he was leaning against the wall next to me, so close that I could feel the heat radiating off his body. Sasuke really is a perfect ten in appearance, and any one who would deny that was seriously high. Even in those atrocious uniform khaki pants, you could tell that he had the most perfect legs that any girl would envy, so toned and muscular, and even if there were scars, they were well placed and minor. The way the white button down shirt just fit, I could see the muscles, heck; I felt them like an hour ago, his flat, muscular, at least six pack abs. I wouldn't even finish listing all the miraculous things about his face if anyone were to get me started, but...I sighed audibly, and it wasn't until he glanced at me that I realized I was staring.

My face flared red. "I-I-I'm sorry!"

He smirked, "Don't worry about—"

The elevator lurched forward in it's stop, and in a way to keep from falling I gripped the nearest thing to me—ten bucks to whoever can guess what that was—and Sasuke fell forward, his arms caging me into a corner as I gripped the linen of his shirt for dear life.

As if the closeness wasn't enough (I could feel his heart beat under my palm, my leg rubbing against his thigh, and hear is breathing) the elevator decided to start up again, as if that random stopping was a scheduled event that happened _all the time_, and it wanted to actually go to floor six instead of three.

It lurched again, and our roles reversed, I pushing forward, consequently sending Sasuke to the elevator ground, me on top of him. Chest to chest. Body to body.

Lips to freaking lips.

And, then, ha-ha, right then when our lips locked, was when this demonized elevator decided to stop at the sixth floor, the silver doors opening, revealing our 'make out' session to the group of three girls waiting for the elevator.

I heard a loud gasp of terror before I heard feet trampling away—twenty bucks to whoever guesses it's not Karin because you'll need it for your new glasses prescription!

* * *

"Here," Sasuke mumbled, handing me my luggage.

I took it with a smile, though all I really wanted to do was—I don't know. I mean, we _are _BF and GF, I guess, but, well…it's a little different than I imagined. You know; it's not cuddly, sweet, or anything. It seems more like some twisted friendship where we kiss randomly. Yeah. The sounds right.

Sasuke's cell phone rang, and with a tired voice he answered, "Moshi, moshi?" A few scowls, curses, mumbles, and loud yelling later, Sasuke groaned.

"It was Naruto," he informed to my questioning gaze. "The dobe lost his room key already—I'll see you later, Sakura."

With that, and a, "Yeah, see ya!" from me, he jogged back to the elevator and pushed the up arrow, something that could only mean that he was in this building too, and he was on the floor above me. That's awesome!

If I get really bored with Ino—seeing as she is my first option, being right across the hall and all—I can hop on the elevator and bother Sasuke-kun! That. Is. Cool. Sauce.

I pulled out my keys, putting the appropriate and the keyhole and twisting it until the wanted _click _filled my eardrums.

Then, following procedure, I opened the door.

"HARUNO?" Karin growled from the foot of her bed, her eyes even redder in rage than usual. I almost crossed my arms and said, 'Naw, it's the Easter Bunny', but considering the fact all I want to do is drop off my luggage and leave, going off to First Period, I really shouldn't start verbally murdering her. Yet.

And, she's my roommate. I might as well make semi-peace with her.

I rolled my purple, green, and black luggage into the room, dropping them off by the only open bed left which was isolated by itself, against a wall.

"Yep," I sighed, "It's me."

Someone, most likely my other roommate, came surging out of the bathroom, hair pressed between a flat iron. "OH MAH FRENCH FREAKING TOAST! You _slut! _You were all macking on Sasuke-kun in the elevator."

That, my friends, is Kaede Haani. She's too stupid to realize that she is currently frying her hair with a flat iron while glaring at me.

My lips popped. "Yep, and it was amazing. Perfect. I think I have a hickey. Check for me?"

She screamed, and then rushed back in the bathroom, slamming the door behind her.

"YOU'RE LYING, HARUNO!" Karin squealed, pounding her fists on the comforter of her bed. In all honesty, I was not lying. That short little peck was amazing, and, though I have kissed and been kissed, I even (not really) kissed him before, but, never in my life have I felt that spark. It was like a surge of electricity gone through my body, and I was awakened, in a way. However poetic that sounded—hey, I'm in a Senior English class—it's true.

I shook my head, "Nope. But, if you'll excuse me," I took out my schedule, "I have some classes to attend. Don't miss me, k?"

* * *

**Period One: English HII**

**Jiraiya **

English. Ah. I love English so much. It just—it just is amazing. All, I mean every single one of my friends is in it with me. That includes Ino, Hinata, Naruto, Sasuke (HEART), Kin, and pretty much our whole homeroom crew. It's hard not to get into an advanced English class for me. It's hard to fail English—period.

I was one of the last people to walk in, and just a second before the bell rang, too, but that didn't seem to be an issue at all, since our teacher—I glanced at my schedule—wasn't even in here yet. I readjusted my tote bag on my shoulder and waved, "Yo, Ino-pig!"

She, from all the way in the back of the room, smiled and waved, pointing frantically to a sit next to her that she apparently saved for me. I wriggled through the bags already on the ground, saying the occasional 'Excuse me' or 'Sorry', and I finally plopped into the desk chair.

"'Sup?" I asked, looking around me and surveying my neighbors. Well, obviously, Ino was on my right, but, Hinata was on my left talking to some kid I didn't know, Sasuke was ahead of me, Naruto behind me, and…and…why was Suzuki sitting in front of Ino, looking like they were in a game of Tic-Tac-Toe?

Ino drew a line across her diagonal of X's and stuck out her tongue. "Yah lost, Midori-chan!"

Midori groaned with a smile, "Rematch?"

Did Ino just inadvertently ignore me? I stared with saddened—I mean, who wouldn't be sad when your BFF left you for a car!—eyes until I decided enough was enough and forced my body forward with a huff. Fine. Ino can have her friends. Whatever. I'm still going to be the best friend. Believe that, bee-itch.

Just as the five-minute mark toward class being begun rounded, a man with crazy out there gray hair and a worn face walked in, a broad smile revealing smile lines and happy eyes. For some reason he reminded me of Naruto…

"HELLO, CLASS! I'M JIRAIYA; NO I DO NOT HAVE A LAST NAME, MY EYES _ARE_ NATURALLY ALLURRING AND YES…," his loud Naruto-esque voice dropped to a normal tone, or his version of a whisper, "I am the sexiest being alive."

My eyes bugged out of my head at _that _wild statement, and a few people dared to laugh. He had to be kidding with that—really. What type of teacher does that?

Naruto's guffaw rose above the rest, and he giggled. "Hey-hey-don't you write those porn books that Kaka-sensei reads?"

Jiraiya scratched his head, sitting on his desk. "Well, I don't consider it your quote on quote porn. I think of it as artwork, and speaking of artwork; I WANT YOU ALL TO WRITE A TWO PAGE ESSAY ON WHO YOU ARE!"

My face slammed onto my desk. What in the world does that have to do with artwork?

Hinata raised her hand quietly. "Er, Jiraiya-sensei?"

The man pointed at her, "Your question is?"

"U-Um, yeah, I was wondering if instead of writing about ourselves we could get with a partner and write about each other. That way we met our classmates, as well."

He stroked his chin—which he jutted out like a weirdo—and nodded. "Sounds like a plan. Here," he pulled out a hat from I DO NOT KNOW WHERE, "everyone come up and pick a number out of the hat. That decides who your partner's going to be. I think I'll count this as a…Test Grade…?" Jiraiya nodded to himself. "Yeah. This is a test grade."

Naruto tapped my shoulder, grinning ear to ear. "Isn't that awesome, Sakura-chan! It's like the EASIEST TEST EVER!"

Jiraiya's ears perked up like a dog's. "Easy? Well then, I'll make it a ten-page essay. Single Spaced. Size Eleven Times New Roman Font. Due Wednesday."

…English…is going to be hard this year.

* * *

**Period Two: Geometry Adv. I **

**Hatake Kakashi**

Math. Eh. I could learn to deal with it—everyone needs to know how to add, multiply, subtract, and divide. You'd be in some deep financial shit without those vitals. However, Geometry? How does _that _help you? Sure, you learn that Area equals Length times Width and that a square has four sides and is therefore a quadrilateral. I understand, and I think I learned that in, what, third grade.

Since Jiraiya-sensei made up some lame excuse about needing to go, "Ask Tsunade-sama if the printer cartridges needed more ink," he let our class go about five minutes early.

So, unlike last period, I was the first in, along with two boys named Sai and Suigetsu (I think that's what Jiraiya called them in English), both of them too strange for me to want to honestly want to converse with them. I'd asked Sasuke what his next class was back in English, and he'd told me Geometry, but he was in Adv. II, with some other teacher.

It looked like I was all alone, with free choice of seating, so I looked carefully at my two options. One was Sai: an emotionally detached clone of Sasuke with the same pale skin, dark hair, and eyes. He was just as hot, but, the emotional constipation was a little (lot) of a turn-off. He was drawing in a sketchpad.

Before he looked up at me, I skipped over to Suigetsu's seat and pointed to the desk next to him. "Are you saving it for anyone?" I asked, softly kicking his shin to wake him up.

He yawned. "Um…no. Go ahead."

I took the seat, sitting daintily since I was feeling really self-conscious with him staring at me, mouth slightly agape, sharp canine tooth obvious and purple eyes wide.

After a couple seconds, more people started pouring in, and I recognized Shino and Hinata. Thank Kami. This Suigetsu kid is really starting to creep me out.

I averted my gaze toward him. "What is it?"

"Is your hair really pink?"

"...Yes…," I answered slowly, subconsciously pulling a strand of the pink hair behind my ear.

He smiled crookedly, though not even half as cutely as Sasuke, and he wriggled his eyebrows. "Ca n I _check_?"

I didn't even spare him another glance, just gathered my books and met Hinata near the front row, plopping down next to her. She yelped at my sudden appearance. "S-Sa-Sakura-chan, don't do that!" Hinata cried, pressing a hand against her chest, studying her heart rate.

"Sorry. It was a Code Pervert. I had to evacuate."

The Hyuuga smiled softly, nodding. "I understand fully. Is that him?" She turned around, pointing to Suigetsu who was…humping…his desk and winking at me.

Yeah, it's time to call the Sexual Harassment Police.

Twenty minutes late, the man I recognized as being my homeroom teacher walked in, a whole different class marching behind him. Once they were all in the room, I waved to TenTen, Neji and Sasuke. Geometry Adv. II was a Junior level class, one I could've easily got in to, but, honestly, they're were way to many numbers on problem number two so I just stopped there. Yeah. Call me pathetic. Whatever.

Hinata was absent for the last day available to test in, so, she missed the chance. Unfortunately, that just gives her Dad _another _reason to bug her.

Kakashi grabbed a ruler and smacked the whiteboard. "Shut up!"

We all hushed.

"This is Anko-chan's Math class. She's absent today, so, we're sharing a classroom." His only visible eye narrowed. "Do _not_ make me regret my choice."

A cricket rubbed it's legs together, making that _creek-it _noise.

"Well," Kakashi yawned, "Do you all want to have a competition? First class to get to twenty questions correct doesn't have to rewrite pages 7 through 57 in the book."

My eyes hardened upon meeting Sasuke's, which had a mischievous glint in them. Oh, he was so sure _he _was going to win. But guess what…he's not.

Do you know why? Because…

IT IS **ON **LIKE DONKEY KONG. (yes, I saw Alvin and Chipmunks: The Squeakquel. Kill me.)

* * *

**Period Three: Physics HII**

**Senju Tsunade**

One would say I should've expected to be, like, the only person in this class when I saw that Tsunade-sama was my teacher. One would say I should've expected to see her in her office—otherwise known as the classroom—, lights off, blinds closed, fan whirring in the background, and a bottle of half-empty sake in her grasp, about seven more around the garbage can, obviously a missed shot from the principal and my Physics teacher.

Physics is a class that medic hopefuls should seriously consider taking, and, normally Shizune-san, Tsunade's assistant and a Physics teacher of a level lower than mine, would be teaching me. However, when I took the placement test for this year during the summer, she had to shove me to Tsunade, asking the office to make up a class name and level just for me. It was called Physics HII, and in other terms, really smart girl Physics; you should be taking college level courses at a college, not in your drunken principal's office.

The dead silence was killing me. I had adjusted to the constant ticking of a wall clock and the absence of that—I think I saw a broken one on the floor—was starting to scare me. It was too quiet.

"U-Uh, Tsunade-sama?" I asked, trying to keep my growing fear to a minimum but it was growing like a boy going through puberty. The trophies from sporting events started to look like steak knives, curvy looking mini-statues looked like evil squirrelly, and that painting of the Hokage Mountains in town square was glowing, all my past principal's eyes beading through my soul.

My heart beat loud in my ears and I screamed. "TSUNADE-SAMA!"

Her head snapped up from her desk, a red stamp on her forehead that I could barely make out in the dark, but still I could tell that it said 'FAIL'. How ironic, considering that she was so drunk her eyes were so dead she looked like a zombie, though her hiccup gave it away. My teacher was drunk. No, she was wasted.

"Could—hic—you not—hic—yell. YELL!" She slurred, and then giggled, before gripping her head. "Owwie…I have a headache, Fairy."

My eyebrow rose. "Um, I'm not a fairy…"

Tsunade laughed, taking a long swig of her sake. "You don't have to lie, Fairy. I know your secret. I can see your wings. They're so _pretty_. Can I touch them, please?"

Before I could answer, she stumbled around her desk, tripping and giggling. About a second away from my desk, she stepped on her own foot, sending her falling right on her face. "Ah-hah-aha, the ground is so soft, Fairy…"

I sweat dropped. "Tsunade-sama, I'm not a—"

She got up and started petting my head. "How do you know my name, Fairy? I don't know your name…how come your wings feel like _hair?_"

"Because it is hair, Tsunade-sama, and you are wasted."

"Am not," She giggled.

"I think you are."

Abruptly, the rubbing of my head stopped. "WHO CARES WHAT YOU THINK, HARUNO?"

My heart skipped a beat, and I was scared out of my mind when, somehow, Tsunade was back in front of me, her eyes deviously narrowed. I wasn't sure if she was drunk or not, so I shrugged. "Apparently not you. I'm just a fairy."

The blonde woman flashed a smile. "Sakura, Sakura that was a test."

"Test?" I echoed.

THAT WAS ONE SCARY AS FUCK TEST!

"A medic should always know when a patient is truly intoxicated or not, so they could properly give them medications. Some medications react violently with alcohol, and effects could even be deadly. So, yes, this was a test," her smile disappeared, "and you just failed." She giggle d and hiccupped at the end of her sentence, though, she really tried to hide it, and I raised an eyebrow.

There's no way to _fake _a drunken hiccup. So, I slid out of my desk, walked over to the light switch, and flipped it on. Quickly the lights turned on, and Tsunade's irises shrunk and she gripped her head before covering her eyes. "GAH! TURN OFF THE LIGHTS; TURN EM OFF, TURN EM OFF!"

Ha, so she's hung over—not drunk.

* * *

_A/N: I hope this makes up for the week I missed! Lol, this was pretty simple to write, and I hope it's still as awesome as usual. Special thanks to those reviewers who review EVERY CHAPTER. Ya'll are amazing, just so you know. Somebody asked me in Chapter One if I was from Chicago because I said jank…and the answer is no. I say jank because I am from Chicago. Lawl._

_Anyway, review please! Next update, I shall have lunch, the last four classes, and maybe—lol, if I can fit it in—the tryouts. This is going to be longer than I originally expected. :D _

_**Review!**_

_**~seethroughglass**_

_**(narubaby2496)**_


	7. hisss, i'm a snakehisssssss

______________________

Monopoly

_By: seethroughglass_

__/__**7**__\__

* * *

**Period Four: Lunch**

"So…then what happened?" I asked Ino carefully as we walked, swerving around an apparently occupied Freshman. We were walking through the halls, curving away from the oblivious idiots we like to call Seniors, trying not to sneer at the Juniors—we have this competition between each other—who glared too long at us, maneuvering our way through the flirting Sophomores in our class, and eventually, without much trouble more than almost slipping on the 'Wet Floor' sign (yes, the _sign itself_) we reached the end of the hallway. You can call me a beast, yes, I do not mind. I assure you it is okay.

Ino flipped her blonde hair over her shoulder. "Okay, then—tell me why, but—he thought it was totally okay to just go to sleep while I was in _the middle _of my conversation with him. Like, ugh, who does that?"

I laughed lowly to myself, only to avoid The Evil Ino Eye. Somehow, she'd ended up having all her morning classes with Shikamaru, and, apparently, this week she's mad at him. I mean, I am somewhat peeved at him to—he got us _pulled over _for Pete's Sake—but this up and down rollercoaster going on with the two of them! Soon enough, when the two are together again (because, they will be back together) she'll be happy about her schedule.

I reached my hand out to grasp the door handle of the exit of Building A, and shrugged. "I don't know, Shikamaru bums?"

We were heading toward the Lunchroom in Building B, which was only a brisk walk away, if you don't include the massive people traffic in the way. I felt the urge to pull out a mega speaker and yell in it, thus causing all these stupid people to CLEAR.

Ino was already on that, though, standing tall, fumed, and wide on the highest step, wind blowing her hair in a Medusa-like fashion. Her sea blue eyes narrowed. "_**Scatter!**_"

Like a bunch of annoying ass pigeons, the Juniors and Sophomores chatting and eating on the stairs jumped, yelped, and some even screeched before they scurried away from the middle, pressing themselves to the rails. A beat or two passed before my best friend smiled a wide, toothy grin.

"Come on, Forehead!" She gripped my hand before I could refuse, yanking me down the stairs, forcing me to keep pace with her. My heart was pounding in my ears when she pointed like a freak toward Building B, "I see your _maaan!_" She sung with a giggle.

My apple green eyes widened in shock then narrowed back to normal. "What man?" I semi-screeched, ripping my hand from her monster grip. A cool summer breeze ruffled some leaves on the huge oak tree above us, and with the wind, it seemed that Ino's gaze hardened.

"Whad'ya mean 'What man'? I thought you said you were going out with—"

I pressed a hand onto her lip-glossed lips in a rush, and just as quickly, I turned my expression evil, and sneered at her. "_No!_"

"Bub I dought dat you thaid yes!"

"…Well, yeah, I did, but…" I shrugged, "I don't know if I want to be in the spotlight like that."

Her face distorted when I removed my hand, placing it into my pocket. "Sakura! Do you know how many people would _kill _to be the girlfriend of—"

"INO!" I growled, slapping my palm back onto her face with a smack. "Do you _not_ see that just about every girl on campus is listening to our conversation—" Just then the Courtyard came to an eerie hush, an audible sound of heads turning away from us echoing in the open air. I almost rolled my eyes, "And, shoot me if this is dumb, but, I don't think it'd be a good idea to have the whole school knowing that I go out with…the guy I go out with. Too much drama. Too much attention. Too much too much. I like him, yeah, but…I don't know if I like him enough to want to battle all of his fan girls."

The blonde girl sighed, her shoulders slumping down. Then, she took my hand off her mouth as if it was a limp noodle—which, btw, it is (because I _do not_ work out on a schedule during the summer)—and groaned. "So you're saying you want to keep the potential relationship of the year on hush-hush because you're afraid of the competition?"

I nodded.

"Even if it could send you from Popular Lame to Popular Popular?"

I shrugged, contemplated, and then nodded.

"Even though you've been in love with the guy since…I don't know…_birth?_"

I frowned. "Shut the fuck up."

"You're not denying it," She teased, smiling, and skipping to the Cafeteria. After a couple seconds of staring at her back and wishing she would spontaneously blow up like some new type of blue-eyed blonde-haired firecracker, I stomped on a random leaf, crunching it, and followed her.

Once I got up to her she sighed again. "Sakura, no relationship comes without hills and valleys. With me and Shikamaru…," She glared at a random leaf, "it's Temari-whore. With you and you-know-who, it's the massive army of fan girls. And don't you think for one second that _you _don't have your own fan club either."

My heart skipped a beat. I never thought of myself pretty or special, or at least special enough to have my own club. That is outrageous enough, but…somehow believable. I smiled wide. "Thanks, Ino-pig."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," She replied, waving it away, "Thank me by buying my lunch cuz I'm hun-gah-ree!"

* * *

Sasuke grunted, throwing a huge math book and a brand new red spiral notebook on the wood-finished, long, rectangular lunch table, squeezing onto the bench in his reserved corner, leaning his back against the wall. That was always his seat. No one dared to sit there after what happened to Suigetsu, one of Naruto's friends from some summer camp. It's safe to say that the pale swim star was afraid to look at water for months. Good thing it was during the off-season.

The Uchiha sighed, twirling the pencil in between his middle and forefingers at a blinding speed, sliding his eyes closed.

All the lunchroom chatter, clattering noises, vending machines humming, lunch ladies calling, cash registers dinging, and over-exuberant laughter disappeared, as did the bright white fluorescent lighting, the ugly gray and red tiling on the floor, the even more disgusting uniforms, and the plain inedible food. It was replaced by soothing sound of wind blowing, the delicious scent of strawberries flooding his senses. Green was everywhere, green trees, leaves, grass and pastel, pretty, green eyes big and doe like.

Pink hair blew in the breeze, a contagious smile rising onto her lips that were _so soft_…

"OI! Teme what's wrong with your face? You're actually smiling!"

Sasuke's dark, impassive, everlasting eyes opened in a _snap_, his small, content, at ease smile falling into a grimace. He scoffed, opening his book to the seventh page, turning the cover of his notebook over. "Go eat some ramen, dead last," He muttered, writing the heading on his paper in near-perfect script.

Naruto smile only widened when his friend stopped halfway between writing the word 'Rewrite', and his eyes phased away into a state that could only be labeled as 'Day Dream'. The blonde irritator snickered. "You're thinking about Sakura-chan, aren't—"

"No," Sasuke barked with a little too much force, making Shikamaru wake up and eye him for a moment. The Uchiha combed through his hair with a hand, and finished tiredly, "I wasn't."

"Yeah, um, you kind of were! What else could make _you_, the almighty Sasuke Uchiha, space out like that!" His blue eyes narrowed, and he inched closer to his friend, studying for any sign of untruth in the (honestly) dark navy blue Uchiha eyes. "Tell me you weren't thinking about Sakura."

Sasuke closed his eyes and let out a stressed breath. "Dobe…"

"NO! Tell me without any hint of untruth that you weren't thinking about your—"

Naruto's heart stopped and he scooted hesitantly away from his best friend, eyes wide in fear for his life. You know why? Because, for one, his eyes looked kind of, sort of, REALLY red if you looked at them for too long, that glare freaking showed you how many different ways you could die by his hand, and three…well, his jaw tensed and he made this noise. Like a snake.

The blonde's mouth dropped open when realization hit him.

Did Sasuke really just _hiss_? Like…_sss sss hisss_…hiss?

.

.

.

That's weird.

Nevertheless, Naruto groaned. "Sasuke-teme! Stop being an ass, already!" His speech was slightly deterred when the called looked up from his notebook, a gaze as deadly as a burning inferno aimed at him, to which Naruto just rolled his eyes. "See—that-that glaring thing you do; yeah, it's got to go if you want the fan girls to believe you and Sakura."

The dark eyes narrowed, though no one except Naruto would know that that gesture meant Sasuke was now listening.

"Okay, so, I was talking to the Mom about it, right, and she said when she was in high school that if she thought that two people were going out and she liked the guy, she gave them a few days and if she never saw anything or heard anything, she would safely say that they were just friends or that they just were major flirts for each other, and that it was then free territory for her and anyone else."

Sasuke put down his pencil, staring at his friend with eyes as patient as possible, which wasn't all to patient.

"Have you ever thought that maybe your mom and her issues are different than mine are? That _maybe_ it's a little more complicated than me using a choice girl to get rid of unwanted things that I could probably deal with in the end on my own?"

"No." The blonde answered, quickly shaking his head from left to right, arranging his own meal in front of him, something that would've and should've been done minutes ago. He shrugged after he opened a bag of Lays plain potato chips. "But, congrats, Teme, I think that was the most you've ever said without out adding 'Hn' or 'Aa' or glaring at inanimate objects in a long time. Good job, buddy."

Sasuke tensed his jaw. There're some people in the world that you just can't fix.

* * *

"You finished yet?" I asked him in between bites of my apple, eyes twinkling in hilarity at his reaction, which, in case you're wondering, was hilarious. If it came from anyone else, then, meh, it wouldn't have been as funny, but when Sasuke Uchiha bites too hard into a Twinkie and the marshmallow kind of, well, you know, explodes all on his face…

I busted up into hysterical hysterics, laughing so hard that I was clutching my stomach, tears dancing at the corners of my eyes.

He glared derisively. "Shut up before I use your hair as a napkin."

I grinned but gave him one of my extra napkins, just for the sake of being nice. And saving my hair. But, don't tell anyone else that. It was hard enough getting him to stop glaring at me for sitting next to him—Kiba said it had something to do with that being Sasuke's area…whatever—but even longer trying to convince him that, yes, lunch was a meal, and, yes, food was necessary in so-called meal.

Once I'd eaten every single morsel of my delicious lunch, all I had left was dessert, which was a Twinkie, and, well…that is currently on someone's face.

"Is that hard; writing out all those mathematical terms and such, Sasuke-kun?" I asked, scooting closer toward him and eyeing the seventieth page of his math book and furrowing my eyebrows at some formula that I'd never seen before in my whole life.

He drew an underline under what I guessed was a vocabulary word with careful fingers, and I couldn't help but notice that his handwriting was almost better than mine was. Now, it wasn't girly or dainty or anything, just that every letter looked the same, as if he were a computer, and his writing was fresh off a keyboard, from a font. Still, it wasn't plain or robotic. There was personality there…I shook my head, clearing my thoughts.

I really should consider listening to Ino next time she says I think too far into things, turning every little thing someone does into something philosophical. Even so, I thought, looking at how straight that underline turned out, I think I have something going for me when I think like that. I can tell that Sasuke, he's always been held to a certain standard so close to perfect, and no matter how much he knows he should want to reach that standard, he doesn't want to because he knows he'll lose himself.

The sound of him clearing his throat shook me from my thoughts, and my eyes snapped upwards, only because Ma always taught me to look people in the eye when they're talking to you.

"It's not hard at all, really," He answered before turning another page in his notebook, flipping printed-paper in the book as well. "Anko probably won't even check it in. I'm stopping at page twenty."

I laughed, and he raised a dark eyebrow. "What?"

"You still have Twinkie on your face," I informed through giggles. He rolled his eyes, as if saying silently, "Where?"

My eyes fell onto his cheek, and then I lifted my hand, pressing it in the same area on my own face, jabbing my thumb into the puffiness. "About right here…," I said slowly, and he mirrored me, touching the white marshmallow, but instead of wiping it clean, Sasuke wiped down his entire cheek, like some tribal mark.

I smiled, laughing softly. That is epic fail.

So, I turned on the bench so I was facing him, and I sat on my knees. "Let me get it," I said shakily, because, well I was currently dealing with my heart pounding so hard that it made my arms shake like Jell-o, my face flame red.

"Aa."

I was vaguely aware of what was going on around me, or that I was basically in his lap, and Naruto and Kiba—those damn loudmouths—were currently rounding up girls like the were cows who needed to be fenced in at our table, or the sounds of cameras snapping. I wasn't focused on the silent, "You _go girl_," from TenTen, or the clapping sound of she and Ino sharing a high five.

It was like I was in a trance the moment I found the guts to lift my gaze up and like two opposite magnets, my eyes immediately locked to his, and I was stuck without option, staring at all the different shades of black, the slate, gray, obsidian, and if I looked real hard, if I allowed myself, I could see small little lines of navy blue. What shocked me more than anything did, though, was that unlike what I would expect, I could see myself reflected in his eyes, I could see _him_ boring into _my _emerald orbs.

My heart pounded harder than ever in my chest, and my conscious was running around in circles screaming, "LICK OFF THE TWINKIE; LICK IT OFF! LICK IT—"

A flaming blush turned my entire face red at the thought, and before my perverted inner could think of another thing for me to lick, I lifted my thumb, pressing it softly to the surprisingly smooth skin of his cheek, clearing the marshmallow off a little too slowly, and I knew it. I knew I wasn't just rubbing the filling off, I was _freaking caressing_ his cheek, following that line of marshmallow down his jaw line and stopping right before his lips that looked so _damn_ inviting right about now…

Without thought or conscious, I could feel myself moving closer to him, his head tilting just that way perfect for capturing my lips in his, my eyes falling half-lidded at each closing centimeter. My breath hitched with the audience's gasp, and I could literally feel how near our lips were, how much I just wanted to kiss him.

"BRRII-IIINNNNNG!"

The lunch bell rang—actually, it's the 'ten minutes until your next class bell'—and I hurriedly jumped off Sasuke and onto the ground, leaving the bench completely and onto my ass. Stumbling onto my feet and trying to ignore the teasing cackles from the people that were watching, the guilty expression mirrored on both Kiba and Naruto's mouth, I cleared my throat, the salty taste of tears filling it.

"I—um—got it," I grasped my wrist, wringing it out of nerves. "Sorry I took so long."

I JUST MADE MYSELF LOOK LIKE A SLUT IN FRONT OF THE WHOLE DAMN SCHOOL! I was crying mentally! Like, who gets that close to somebody just to remove Twinkie filling from that somebody's cheek? I don't know, maybe a slut? I just really wanted to bang my head repeatedly on a wall, but to suffice I just bit my lip and apologized again to the blank expression playing on Sasuke's face. "Really, I am. I got…_distracted."_

He blinked twice, slowly, and then gathered his books robotically, walking past me without any word at all, looking like a confused sleepwalker the whole while. The lunchroom hushed—great, the whole school really _did_ see—as he walked out, the big doors closing the only sound echoing through the area. Naruto slurped down the last of his ramen and groaned, skipping off the bench and then running out of the room, all the while calling, "SASUKE-TEME! That was _not _cool!"

As soon as the doors slammed closed, the rest of the boys at our table got up, grumbling about how bastardly that was of him to just walk off like that, and breaking through the crowd once again. It was then that I gathered enough courage to actually look at the people, each of them staring at me with ogling eyes, as if I was some alien or new item.

…damn all Twinkies to fucking hell, I thought as my gaze fell on the fan girls glowering at me, some of them pointing and laughing, others pounding their fists together (as if they can beat me up), but most just staring in pure shock that I actually did that. I don't know why I was letting them bother me…they're just a bunch of girls that probably will never do more than annoy Sasuke, but, I'm one girl, and they're a freaking mob.

Before I could start crying like the freaking waterfall I wanted to embody, Ino, Hinata, and TenTen swarmed to me, enveloping me in both a comforting and protective hug. And you had better be sure I cried then.

Why?

Because I can, I feel like it, and I am, bitch.

* * *

**Period Five: History**

**Morino Ibiki**

It wasn't until the whole lunchroom cleared that the four of us—me, Ino, Hinata, and TenTen—walked out of the room and made our way to TenTen's locker. We stopped first at TenTen's, since the Junior's homerooms were in this building, and hence there lockers were as well. None of us lowerclassmen felt like walking all the way to Building A just to come back to B anyway, especially not me.

Her fingers twirled around the lock, and in seconds her locker creaked open and slammed closed, a jacket, tote bag, and a few school supplies in her arms. I could tell she was trying to go fast, not to be rude, but that she really did not want to be late to her next class, since, generally, her teachers are stricter on the 'Three Tardies, One Detention' rule.

"I-If it h-he-helps, I bet Naruto-kun is sorry, Sakura," Hinata said quietly while we walked through the virtually empty hallway toward TenTen's Gym class which she was definitely going to be late to now, because of me.

I shook my head, wiping my cheeks. "It's not his fault, though, H-Hinata-chan. And, you guys really don't have t-to come with me. I'm fine." I forced a fake smile to rise on my face, and I could tell just by looking at the plainly unconvinced looks on my friends' faces that I was doing a worse job at smiling than Sai.

Ino shook her head quickly and hugged me, making me jump at the sudden embrace. "No way, Sakura! Not when your mascara is freaking running down your face, when your tears are big and puffy, your cheeks are so wet that you're probably staining my shirt right now, and your eyes are red like a Crayola crayon. I'm a better friend than that."

"Dang, Ino. You make me and Hinata seem like criminals for wanting to want to get an education," TenTen muttered to herself, but loud enough, purposefully, for my blonde best friend to hear.

The hug was yanked apart. "Shut up, TenTen! Whad'ya mean you _and_ Hinata? Hinata's staying with—"

The meek heiress shrugged. "S-Sorry. I have a Business & Management class that Father will be sure to call and ask about later. I've already missed fifteen minutes…"

"Which means I am officially late to Gym," TenTen chimed.

Ino glared at them. "Fine! You two go 'learn' while I take Sakura to the nurse."

* * *

**Period Six: Gym**

**Maito Gai**

Rin-san was one of the nicest women in the entire school, really kind and understanding, and therefore a perfect nurse. She would let students come in and just stay, if there reasoning was enough, and, obviously since I'm lying down on the paper covered medical bed telling her the story, my reason was more than enough. She wrote me a pass for Gym, e-mailing another notice to Gai-sensei telling him that I was with her.

She sighed heavily, twirling the beautiful charm on her necklace through her fingers. I couldn't help but wonder where she got that from, nevertheless how, seeing as the salary is complete crap.

"That really sucks…"

I giggled at hearing a staff member actually say that, even if I didn't consider as one, and she joined me. In a few seconds, she got up and checked the doorway for people, coming back just as quickly, taking her seat on her little desk again.

"I remember when something like that happened to me when I was your age," Rin said conversationally, looking at me expectantly, "You want to hear, or no?"

I shrugged. "It would only be fair, especially seeing as I had you sit through my story."

"Oh," She waved her hand as if she was swatting a fly, "that was no problem. I get bored in here all on my lonesome."

We laughed, and then she pulled out some juice from a drawer in her desk. More specifically Hi-C! I almost jumped off the bed, pouncing her for the orange, but she handed one to me. "You looked thirsty…(how do you _look _thirsty?) but anyway, I think I was in the same grade as you, and I, Kakashi, yes, your Kakashi-sensei, and one of my friends, Obito-kun, were at a party a girl was hosting. She was in _love_ with Kakashi, let me tell you…"

* * *

**Period Seven: Bio**

_(A/N: Remember, they don't have Health today, and that would normally be Sakura's P: 7, instead of Bio)_

**Orochimaru/Yakushi Kabuto **

"And then, oh my gosh, I swear I'm telling the truth, Kakashi got cake _all over his_—" The Nurse's telephone rang, and she yelped slightly at the sudden ringing. I jumped up a little, almost squeezing the juice out of my third Hi-C, but relaxed after a few seconds, listening in on her conversation. And, NO, I'm not eavesdropping. I'm just listening.

She smiled. "Hello! Oh…hi, Orochimaru-sensei…yes she is…I didn't? I could've sworn—y-yes, I do understand your point…I agree, Orochimaru…I'll send her down with a pass. Expect her in a few minutes…Sayonara."

I frowned when she groaned, reaching into a drawer and pulling out her yellow Nurse Passes, circling big the words 'Return'. "Rin-chan! I-I-I thought you sent a pass?"

"I forgot about Orochimaru. He's new and I don't have his e-mail in yet," Her face turned apologetic, "I'm sorry. Next time I see you, I'll finish the story, alright?"

My heart dropped. That was getting pretty damn interesting, if you ask me, and I could tell something epic was about to happen, but NO! My stupid teacher had to call for me. Growl. "Alright…," I moaned, sliding off the bed and slugging my way out of the office. "I'll see you later, Rin-chan."

"Right, Sakura-chan!" She said, waving out of her doorway before sighing dismally, probably thinking I was out of earshot.

Hm. I wonder what's got her so sad…

.

.

.

I knocked on the big wooden door three quick times before opening it, sticking my head in first, checking for faces. I was happily surprised when I saw basically the whole lunch table in the classroom, but a grimace fell onto my lips when my eyes landed on the only empty seat in my vision.

I groaned, stomping into the room, averting all attention that was still on the sickly colored teacher with oily, long black hair and snake-like yellow eyes to me. He finished his sentence about how DNA was a very complex thing, ya-da, ya-da, ya-da, and flashed a disturbing smile in my direction.

"I'm Orochimaru-sensei. You mussst be Ssssakura-chan."

I nodded slowly, trying to keep my hamburger and fries from lunch from making a journey out of my stomach in the form of puke. I swallowed. "Um, yeah…hey."

His lab-coat covered hand snapped for a young man—he looked fresh out of college—who was apparently behind the computer doing who knows what. He stood up from the seat immediately and bowed in my direction respectfully. His hair was an extremely light blue, basically white, and his skin was a healthy shade when compared to Orochimaru-sensei's, eyes a dark brown, Harry-Potter style glasses donning his face. He wore a lab coat as well, but his clothes were casual; a green Lacosse polo and tan khaki's.

"Nice to meet you, Sakura-chan, I'm Kabuto. I'll fill you in on what we have been learning, unless you would prefer your lab partner to do that for you."

Orochimaru had already started back to teaching, so I shrugged. "Who would my partner be, Kabuto-sensei?"

He smiled. "The honorific is flattery, Sakura-chan. Just call me Kabuto."

"Okay," I grinned, only to return his, "then who would my partner be, Kabuto?"

Kabuto pointed to just the seat I hoped it wouldn't be, and replied, "Right there next to," he checked a seating chart, but I had already opened my mouth.

"There're no other seats?"

"Um, no."

"Can there be a three partner thing? I'm sure—"

"Sakura-chan," He said calmly, though I could tell he was trying not to rip out my throat, "is there a problem with the choice of seating Orochimaru-sama and I designed. We arranged each student by last year's grades and, well, you and Uchiha-san are the two smartest. I would hate to put you with someone like," he pointed gestured a group of kids who were crushing erasers and smelling them, "that. You would be doing all the work."

I almost considered saying that that would be no problem, but then I realized that half those kids weren't sniffing erasers, and if you catch my drift, they'll probably end up drinking the chemicals if we ever get that far.

I groaned but still smiled. "No, it's no problem. Just fishing for more options, is all."

He nodded, marking a check by my name for attendance, then said, "Go ahead and take a seat then, Sakura-chan."

My head bobbed up and down dryly until I turned from him, sticking a finger down my throat in disgust as I stormed to my table, plopping into my stool with an angry huff, cheeks pink in upset, arms crossed tightly across my chest, eyes narrowed into nothing.

I could feel his eyes on me, and I sneered. "Don't look at me."

"Why not?"

"Because I am mad at you!" I spelled out in a hushed tone, careful to keep my yell to a minimum. What does he not understand? Does he just think that he can be a bastard and I'll still be okay? WELL? NOT WANTING TO RIP HIS BALLS OFF?

He smirked, "Of course you are."

If I was a cartoon, I swear steam would be pressing out of my ears, but I calmed a little bit when Orochimaru-sensei tapped some type of glass loud enough to catch our attention. There were only a couple seconds left of class, so students usually took this as cue to talk. Today, though, I'm taking it as cue to get ready to fucking get away from the atrocious atrocicity sitting next to me. He's a butt.

"Okay, class, we have a project on DNA. I'll have more details tomorrow, but as of now, you do know who your partner is." Orochimaru informed.

A couple hoots and hollers filled the room, but I raised my hand, honestly confused as to who my partner was. Maybe they decided that while I was hanging with Rin-chan? (I mean in ailment in the nurse's office?)

Orochimaru pointed at me. "Yes?"

"Yeah, who's my partner?"

He cackled like my sister. Except worse. "Lucky girl, your partner is Sasuke-san."

…IT IS _**MONDAY**_ AND I AM READY TO KILL SOMEONE!

* * *

_A/N: Review! Have questions? Ask! Anonymous reviews are accepted; leave your e-mail or username (for those people like me who forget to log in) so I can answer your question or at least thank you. AND NOW I LEAVE THANKS!_

_Alright, recognitions (I apologize in advance for misspellings and such)…_

**First 10…**

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_REVIEW!_

_~seethroughglass_

* * *


	8. Boom POW!

**1** **New Text Message!**

My butt buzzed, making me jump and yelp in the air,—definitely making me look like some mega-freak during our first Morning Assembly (isn't the first week of school joy?)—sending plenty of wary eyes around me in my direction, worrying for my sanity. I almost hissed, "Pay attention to Tsunade-sama, you nosey mole rats!" but that would've been rude.

Whatever. It's six in the freaking morning and I had to listen to Karin and Kaede snore the whole night long. It sounded like they would spontaneously suffocate then die. Too bad _that_ didn't happen…

I reached into my back pocket, stealthily, of course, and pulled out my gorgeous cellular communication device, flipping the top up, revealing a complete QWERTY keyboard. I pressed the 'up' arrow, which sent me straight to my messages, and I almost rolled my eyes.

* * *

**To: Haruno Sakura**

**From: Yamanaka Ino**

**Subject: Oh My Fracking GAWD! **

So, Forehead, if I told u that u got the cover page in the first issue of the school paper would u or would u not b syked? Choose ur answer wisely…!

* * *

**To: Yamanaka Ino**

**From: Haruno Sakura**

**Subject: We R in the middle of an assembly!**

…Normally I would b excited—because, damn that would b sooo cool—but ur making it seem lyk I shouldn't b…! & r u rlly that stupid? We're in an assembly, pig!

* * *

**To: Haruno Sakura**

**From: Yamanaka Ino**

**Subject: SO!**

ok, fine, I won't tell u that Shikamaru is on the paper crew or watever its called and he told me ur on teh front pg of it, in color, wit-oh, hold on, were in an ASSEMBLEY! XP

* * *

**To: Yamanaka Ino**

**From: Haruno Sakura**

**Subject: Ur so evil. **

TELL ME TELL ME! u've caught my attention! I will risk the chance of losing my fone just 2 kno! I'm thinking its something baaadd!

* * *

**To: Haruno Sakura**

**From: Yamanaka Ino**

**Subject: I kno I am evil, thankuverymuch!**

um. no. what would you offer me for my forewarning of ur possible fate?

* * *

**To: Yamanaka Ino**

**From: Haruno Sakura**

**Subject: You sound like Neji!**

I would, um…tell you that you look rlly pretty today in that uniform! Extra spiffy!

* * *

**To: Haruno Sakura**

**From: Yamanaka Ino**

**Subject: Spiffy?**

TELL ME SOMETHING I DON'T KNO!

* * *

**To: Yamanaka Ino**

**From: Haruno Sakura**

**Subject: yes! SPIF-FEE!**

just plz tell me…plz…I'll let u use my school credit to go shopping this weekend. 4 whatever u WANT.

* * *

**To: Haruno Sakura**

**From: Yamanaka Ino**

**Subject: Rlly?**

: D! OOOKAAAY! how about this Saturday?

* * *

**To: Yamanaka Ino**

**From: Haruno Sakura**

**Subject: …**

Yah, right after u tell me y I'm on the front page! I mean, srsly, I wanna kno! I'm on there with somebody? WHO!

* * *

**To: Haruno Sakura**

**From: Yamanaka Ino**

**Subject: Evrything deserves a subject, Sakura.**

Oh, nobody. It's just SASUKE**!**

* * *

**To: Yamanaka Ino**

**From: Haruno Sakura**

**Subject: Not UR face!**

Lyk, Sasuke UCHIHA? That mutherfcking jerk face! Ugh, I am so mad him! I would go on a mega-rant, but, UGH! He is such a bastard, Ino, and I have to do a _project_ with him. Said jerk face.

* * *

**To: Haruno Sakura**

**From: Yamanaka Ino**

**Subject: Excuse me?**

Ur gonna be even madder because you guys are on the covr from lunchtime yesterday when you almost smooched and then about seven more times whn you fell, whn he walked away, when u both were all blushie and stariing eachother, when u wiped off the Twinkie, and thenwhn we covered u while u cried. Is that seven? nope…five…I'll have to ask shika what the othr two are of…oh, he sed when ppl were pointing and laffing and of the guys running after Sasuke. He sed srry, too, but the chance of Sasuke having a gf and actually maybe caring for her is newspaper GOLD.

* * *

**To: Yamanaka Ino**

**From: Haruno Sakura**

**Subject: KILL ME!**

No—no—no—no—ur lying! UR LYING TO MEEEEEE! And tell Shikamaru I will be personally removing his scrotum.

* * *

**To: Haruno Sakura**

**From: Yamanaka Ino**

**Subject: Would u stop slamming ur hand to ur head? It's disturbing…**

actually, no. They print it in two days; Thursday. It comes out Friday morning. Shika sed that u r, quote on quote, troublesome.

* * *

**To: Yamanaka Ino**

**From: Haruno Sakura**

**Subject: DEATH**

…seems rlly inviting rite about now…

* * *

_**Monopoly**_

* * *

**Chapter Eight: **

**BOOM POW!**There were many things I hated that went on during the school year. I hate the lumpy beds of the dorms, I hate that you had to bring your own sheets and make your own bed even though there're all these fully capable maids cleaning up the hallways, I hate that lights-out hour was a measly eleven o'clock, and that you had to be in your rooms by ten, no coming out after that. I hate my roommates with no type of rationalization except they were whore bitches this year, I hate that they posted this shower order each night that was supposed to rotate between us three, but, somehow, I was always last, I hate how all the hot water would be absolutely gone and, I guess it decided to go and pour itself out, my tropical fruit scented shampoo was ultimately nonexistent. I hate how Karin smelled like my shampoo, and I hate even more that she said she didn't use it, even though there was no other tropical fruit shampoo in the world left because it was a limited edition scent that my Mom brought back for me from some trip in Milan, and I hate how the blow dryer just wouldn't work after Kaede straightened her stupid honey colored hair, even though it was virtually un-frizz-able, always straight, and never a single strand out of place.

* * *

I hate how my stupid sister took all my flats and I have nothing but heels to where, and I am a klutz when it comes to all things coordination without some type of dance count. I hate that the school paper is going to print something about me, and that I didn't even get a sign-off paper or anything that gave them permission to declare me desperate slut without even saying it, I hate how I'm the talk of the school, from the Beans to the Seniors, because the person I hate the most in the world is a bastard who has no understanding or feeling for other people's emotions, or maybe even reactions—consequences. Now, we're both cover page on the school paper, the heading 'Together Forever or Never? Haruno and Uchiha' even though I did nothing at all to make people believe that. What type of proof did they conjure up during one school day? What type of evidence did they have to even make something seem half way true like that? Sure, I was pretty damn close, sure, it looked like we about to mack attack each other, sure, there was dustings of pink on both of our cheeks, and sure, we really _are_ going out. Still, I haven't freaking groped him in front of the whole Newspaper Staff, I haven't randomly made out with him while walking the halls, I held his hand, what, twice, in one day, and, somehow, that all adds up to a front page expository?

I glared at the screen of my cell phone again, eyes red from angry tears demanding to flow. They were going to print Friday, which gave them plenty of time to gather more information, especially considering they (magically) poofed up enough to get a teacher to approve the article. _So_, my inner chimed, _what are you going to do, Sakura-chan?_

Looking around the auditorium, only Sophomores filling the bleachers, I stared long and hard at certain people that I knew were on the paper. Shikamaru, of course, he was the editor, I know Kin did something last year and chances are she'd be doing the same thing this year, a couple of folks I only knew from the pictures in the back showing who'd done what, and finally, my eyes landed right on Suzuki Midori. She's been on the paper since the fifth grade, back in elementary school, known for printing what the people want, whatever it may be. I had a gut-lurching feeling that what most of the people wanted was a nobody girl—well, in comparison to certain bastards—to get their heart used, twisted, pulled, yanked, and contorted by the school's most wanted boy.

Well, I decided as Lady Tsunade finally stepped away from the microphone, saying, "And here's to a fabulous school year!" the bell for breakfast ringing seconds after her statement, if the people want a little heartbroken Sakura, then won't they be surprised when they see I'm perfectly fine?

My resolve, hell, that was more than resolve I was freaking glowing with confidence, bitch, came to a crashing halt when I ran into the one person who ever made me stay up late at night both crying and drawing hearts around his name. They person who made my heart beat in nervous happiness, and stop in complete and utter disappoint, fear, and embarrassment. The one person who I swore I hated more than anything at this school, more than the lumpy beds, more than the jank lock down time, more than Karin, more than Kaede, more than fan girls, more than homework, more than my _sister_. And, still, even though I sound like that stupid song with Rihanna and Ne-Yo, I hate how much I love him, too.

Perfectly slanted, obsidian eyes stared down at me, and never have I really wanted to go cower in some corner. (Actually, I say that a lot…that I want to go hide, or go into a rabbit hole, or, if the situation calls for, simply die. It's not suicidal, or anything, it's just precautionary) My heart raced fast, my throat seemingly closing in on itself, and my eyes, stupid, stupid eyes, just were locked like magnets onto his, and I couldn't look away.

Mad at myself for being such a stupid, I glared back at him—bold move, I know. "What do you want? If nothing, I suggest you move out of my way cuz I'm hungry and it's breakfast time."

…is it just me or did I make myself sound really fat?

His arms crossed across his chest, and he scoffed, "Don't make some scene, Sakura."

A small smile cracked onto my face. Don't make a scene? Don't make a _scene_? The whole Sophomore class is circled around us, eyes ready and anticipating, fingers on the little flash button on their cameras, cell phones out and ready. We are the scene. No matter how much I just wanted to spit that out in his face then, just for extra effect and a nice picture on the newspaper, slap THE Uchiha Sasuke across the face on his pretty boy cheek, I crossed my arms and jutted my chin out in a prideful way.

"And what if I do?" I whispered lowly, so low that only the people closest to us could possibly hear, "Are you going to spank me?"

Murmurs escalated when the words left my mouth, and a tinge of self-satisfaction ran through my blood when Sasuke visibly tightened, his jaw clenching. Amidst all the loud whispers turning into cat calls, he grumbled something about me being unbearably annoying—aw, what a compliment—before gripping my wrist, pulling me through the crowd and out into the scarily empty and silent hallway. Only a few straggling people were around, taking books out of their lockers, putting away jackets, things of that nature.

My back slammed against a row of lockers, my wrists still locked in Sasuke's stupid strong grip, held slightly above my head, more to the side of it than anything. Sasuke, though, was definitely in front from of me, dark eyes lit with an agitated fire, and some other emotion that I couldn't quite put a finger on. His breath was heavy and uneven, probably from storming out like some freak, dragging me with him, built chest heaving when his brows furrowed.

"What in the _hell_ is wrong with you?" It wasn't quite a yell, but the strain in his voice was enough to tell me he really just wanted to punch something. Hard.

I just narrowed my eyes, gesturing for him to continue. Which he didn't. "Nothing is wrong with me," I answered simply. "Maybe I just don't like being treated like some toy that—_mmph_!"

His lips crashed onto mine with no type of warning, no 'can I kiss you' or 'I really want kiss you' or 'wow, Sakura, your lips would look so much better with mine on top of them'. The y were just there, and at first, I completely refused the whole action, my mouth staying in a straight, forced line, my eyes wide with shock, big round pastel green circles. My stomach erupted in butterflies, though, my cheeks flaming red when Sasuke did nothing to stop, not using my statue-ness as a hint that he should probably stop. His hands moved from my wrists and to my waist, pulling me closer to him, and my eyes, against my will, slid, lulled closed, arms snaking around his neck. Without even knowing it, I returned the kiss with as much force as him.

Dark, ebony bangs tickled my cheeks, soft (talented!) lips moved silkily with mine, in some type of natural melody that we both knew, my fingers tangled in his glassy smooth hair, massaging his head. Like, what the fuck? Wasn't I just mad him two seconds ago? What was I doing enjoying—I moaned when a hand slipped under my shirt, caressing my smooth curves, and he nipped at my bottom lip, asking for entrance. I complied, the beating of my heart loud and fast in my ears, emotions built up over the years pouring out when his tongue thrashed into my mouth, exploring every crevice.

In all honesty, I was surprised. Surprised that Sasuke could be so soft and gentle, loving, tender and passionate, yet, still get his point across. I moaned again when his hand crept up higher underneath my shirt, running up and down the small curve of my waist, thumb thrumming across the underwire of my bra. His hand was cold, yes, but the heat the exploded from every part of my body he touched—it made me shiver.

When air was really becoming a necessity, Sasuke moved just a centimeter away, a small little second to gasp for oxygen before short kisses and pecks met my lips, my cheek, my jaw, my neck, and it wasn't like I was complaining, either. It felt _good_, to be this close to him, to have his hands around my waist, to feel so lightheaded and know it was because of him and not some long road trip.

The affectionate kisses slowed, both of our breaths uneven and staggering, and slowly, Sasuke placed a kiss on my collarbone, long and sweet before looking up at me, his dark like coal eyes soft.

Now, this is the part of the movie where the girl says, "I believe you, Todd! I'm sorry for ever thinking you were just using me for your own perverted horny needs! I love you!" And then Todd grins and says, "I love you Elisa!" then the now happy couple make out again, but, I'm quite sure this isn't the case, because in those movies, the guy is never serious and he just wants her for her ovaries. Looking at Sasuke, his eyes so gentle that I could see myself, flushed pink, lips swollen, eyes staring right back at him, I could tell that wasn't it.

Therefore, I slapped him.

So hard on his cheek that it hurt my own hand and his once pale skin flared red, a vaguely shaped hand—omg, yes, my hand—painted on it. His face turn to the left at the sheer force, and for a while he stood there, and I stared at my hand. I just slapped Sasuke Uchiha because he…made out with me? In the middle of the hallway on some lockers? Isn't that every girl's cliché dream, to make out with the school sex god, pressed against a random person's locker?

"What was _that_ about?" I yelled, half out of breath.

It wasn't like I didn't know what that was about. You can't fake that, even if your some awesome actor. That was real. This is exactly why it was fake. (Don't judge my thought process, okay! Sasuke Uchiha is not the type of guy who will randomly kiss you like that! I KNOW!)

He rubbed his cheek, obviously shocked. "I'm…sorry…?"

"Look," I said, pulling a band-aid from my messenger bag and sticking it on where there was blood. Yes, I do know how to slap, thank you very much. Looking up to him because of height difference, I crossed my arms. "I am not one of those girls who accept their boyfriend being all lovey-dovey in private and a complete (bastard, jerk face, Emo, dick wad, twit, idiot) ice cube when around other people. Yesterday was _definitely_," I glared at him, "not cool. Don't expect me to forgive you just because you have godly kissing skills—"

_Smirk_.

"and an atrociously adorable smirk. I like storybook romances where lots of chivalry is involved, lots of hand holding—"

Sasuke grimaced, scoffing. "That's not going to happen, because I don't do that."

"Then why'd you ask me out? I mean, I'm not a slut that's going to let you use my vagina on the weekends, if that what you're getting to, Mr. 'I'm Too Cool To Appreciate My Girlfriend'. Like I said before you _rudely interrupted me with your lips_," I glared at him, though a blush played on my cheeks, "I'm not a toy nor a fan girl. I have emotions, feelings, moods, wants, needs, goals, wishes and whatever else you can think of. I won't throw myself at you because your you."

There was a long silence in the hallway, and I felt like we were having some sort of standoff. That is, until Sasuke smirk—oh wait, was that a smile? Sarcasm laced his tone, though I knew he was serious. "Fine. What're your requirements for the 'perfect' boyfriend, Ms. Haruno?"

I grasped his hand, which he took without any sort of argument—CHA BITCH CHA!—and we walked two the lunchroom, only about a two minute walk away, in the same building.

"Well, Mr. Uchiha, number one, you have to not be such a bastard. I know it is of your nature, but…" I grinned, "tone it down. And, um, we have that project in Bio? I want an 'A'…plus."

He nodded. "Your house or mine?"

"House? We can't go off campus until the weekend and the project is due Friday."

I speak the truth. Our school is so strict and securitized—omg that is a word— that you can't leave unless you're a day camper, and then your parents have to pick you up. Any other people you want to bring with you have to have this whole parental consent thing signed, either that or verbal confirmation over the telephone. If your not a day camper, or friends with one, at least, you can only leave campus on the weekends, starting at eight in the morning and ending at ten. Punishments if you left early or came back late? I wouldn't know; I'm a good girl!

Sasuke raised a perfectly arched dark eyebrow, challenging me. "Oh," He smirked, "I think you're forgetting I'm an Uchiha and my family funds this school."

I grinned. Awesome. Socks.

* * *

**Period One: English**

**Jiraiya **

A loud clap from the front of the room snapped my attention from the back of Sasuke's head—because, honestly, no amount of gel can make your hair defy gravity and still be soft. Maybe it was Axe or something?—and to Jiraiya, who had taken two huge literature books and slapped them together.

"Alright! I know I told you yesterday," He walked around balancing the two books in his palms, "that you all were going to receive partners by picking numbers from the hat and yada-yada-yada-blah-blah-blah. I didn't like that way. It was too easy to lie and get with your friends. So, when I say your name, come up and get a book, tell me the number on the binding, then go to the corner of the room I tell you to go to." Jiraiya placed the two books down, "I'll narrow it down from there."

A few people grumbled about wasting their time yesterday trying to get to know their first partner and interview them, some grumbling about wasting their time and switching numbers with other people just to get with their friends—ahem, me! I totally switched like six times just to get with Ino!—but most just whining. Jiraiya was being as random as possible now. He's such a weird teacher, I swear.

He flipped the attendance roster, and cleared his throat. "ABURAME SHINO! COME ON _DOOOWN_!"

The stoic, cool, and quiet Shino stepped without noise stepped across the tile, a chilling aura following behind him. All the whines hushed once he passed their row, and he reached Jiraiya, nodding and grabbing the book. "Four-hundred and one," He informed in a quiet, whispery voice. "What corner am I summoned to, Jiraiya-sensei?"

I swore everyone blinked twice. This guy was weird. And he played with ants. I know, there's, like, no exception. Still, he's in our group of friends since he's cool with Hinata and Kiba, somehow.

Jiraiya scratched his nose, and then pointed to the far right corner. "Err…you can just stand over-um-there. Yeah. Far away from me." When Shino just nodded his head politely, glasses shining in the sun, Jiraiya smiled nervously, shooing him, "Run along now."

"And how do you wish me to run, Jiraiya-sensei?"

…Awk...ward…Does anyone else hear a cricket?

* * *

Once all that fun stuff was over, the class was separated into four corners, exactly five people in each corner, brand new books (that were supposed to be passed out _yesterday_) sitting atop of our desks. I, Naruto, a girl named Ai, Kiba, and Suigetsu were closest to the chalk board and to the left it, to the right of the chalkboard was the group of Ino, Hinata, Shino, a girl named Bunko, and Midori, across from them was Sasuke, Shikamaru, Choji, Kin, and a boy named Shin, across from us was a group of kids who I really didn't know, except for Karin and Kaede, not like I wanted to know them in the first place.

Jiraiya sat on top of his desk, legs crossed, his head resting on his palm, his eyes calculating. He was figuring something out. Great. "Okay. Within your group find out that is the oldest. Kick those people out and send them to the middle of the room."

We pushed Naruto out, and in a couple seconds he, Shikamaru, Ino, and Kaede were in the center of the room.

"Okay, now, the youngest in each group, step out and stand by my bookcase."

Kiba, Shino, Sasuke, and a shy, mild, bookworm—no offense—girl named Ayami stepped toward the bookcase. I would've never guessed that Sasuke was younger than everyone else—but, apparently, his birthday is in July.

There were three people left in each of the corner groups now, and two groups in the center of the room with four people each. "Um…," Jiraiya scratched his chin, looking around, "alright…pick a number one through ten."

He gave us a few seconds then said, "If your number was lower than five, step out of your group and, uh, come over her by me, you lucky dogs."

Kiba laughed at this, actually he was the only who laughed, and Ai, Midori, Shin, and Karin stepped out of their groups, moving over to Jiraiya-sensei. I looked to my right, only to see Suigetsu, and then groaned. He was my partner. Amazing, right? I could kill myself, if I weren't doing anything else tonight. I sighed dreamily…_Sasuke-kun…_He said his Mom was going to be cooking dinner tonight and would probably want to meet me.

Suigetsu elbowed me and winked, "Your dorm or mine, babe?"

"Neither, Shark Tooth." I grumbled, flicking his limb off of my body.

I don't believe he just touched me. I'll need like, four showers tonight. Anyway, Hinata was partners with Bunko, Choji with Kin, and two kids I didn't really know were partners. Just when I started wondering how Jiraiya would split the now three groups of four into six of two.

He scratched his head, "Let's see…the youngest and oldest in the groups now, you're partners. Get to work; you have the rest of class to gather information. Remember, it's due tomorrow."

The scarily pale pervert next to me laughed, wrapping an arm around my shoulders, shaking them. "We have to get to work then, won't we, Sakura-chan?"

"My birthday is March 23, I have an older sister, my mom is an authoress, my dad a doctor, I aspire to become a doctor, maybe a pediatrician, maybe a surgeon, I haven't narrowed it down yet; I do not have any pets but I wish for a beagle puppy every night, I hate all things coconut, yes, I adore cake, cookies, and pizza, no, my favorite color is not pink, I love gel pens, I have a deathly fear of water, and yes, I am taken."

He blinked, obviously reviewing the information. "Um, your not single?"

"No," I grinned, "Take a guess toward my boyfriend and I might consider taking you seriously."

Suigetsu nodded robotically, still shocked that I actually had a boyfriend—I am not that bad, am I? I just have expectations…—and his purple eyes scanned the room, stopping and widening when he saw Sasuke, sitting atop his desk, tossing a balled up piece of paper between his hands, glaring relentlessly at the light haired boy beside me, and like a limp noodle, Suigetsu's arm fell from my shoulders as he cleared his throat.

"Yeah, about that whole deal with the 'flirting'," He placed air quotes around the word, a nervous smile dressing his face, "Sasuke won't kill me?"

I shrugged. "Ask him. But, in the mean time, I don't accept grades lower than B- for first quarter, so…let's get started!"

He stared at Sasuke with narrowed eyes for a long second longer, before turning to me with a friendly smile, his pointed canine teeth shining. "Yeah, so, what do you want to know? I'm an open book, really."

"Um…when's your birthday?"

* * *

The school bell rang, long and shrilling, and I sighed, rubbing my eyes. Biology is, like, the longest, most boring, repetitive class so far. I _hate_ it. I'll have to add that to my list later.

"Tired?" Sasuke asked me, glancing from the emptying parking lot and to me.

I shrugged. "Yah…"

Wind blew, ruffling leaves, and waking me up a little. I don't even know when I went to bed last night. Did I mention before that Karin and Kaede snore? Like really loud? It's terrible, I swear…

A long, sleek, and obviously expensive limousine pulled up to the curb, and Sasuke stood from the steps we were waiting on, tapping my shoulder. "Come on. We're going to go get you a dress, and then we're going to go to my house."

I yawned, the words not processing in my brain until almost a full minute later, and Sasuke was already in putting both my and his backpack in the limo, talking to the driver about something. I hopped up fast, and skipped down the steps, "Wait! Wait! Why do I need a dress to go to your dinner?"

Sasuke stared blankly at me. Almost incredulously. "It's an Uchiha dinner, Sakura. I have to change, too."

I slipped into the limo, the leather incredibly soft and not stick on the exposed portions of the thighs, then hyperventilated when Sasuke climbed in behind me, the driver closing the door behind him.

"What do you mean by that? This is a _serious_ dinner? Like, important people are going to be there?"

"Just my Mom, Dad, Itachi," I tried to ignore the certain acid he put on Itachi," and maybe your sister if he invites her."

I screamed. "What do you mean just your Dad? He's like…"

"Rich?" Sasuke guessed, to which I shook my head no, "Famous? CEO? Banking genius?"

"No!" I grumbled, "He's _important_!"

Sasuke smirked. "Hn, sure. He'll kick you out and have you locked in jail if he doesn't like you, though."

"What?" My eyes bugged out my eyes. Fugaku Uchiha was known for doing stuff like that! He had his secretary locked up for ten years just because she accidently came into his room while he was changing suit jackets. Imagine what he would do if I accidently spilled Coke on the carpet or something? Or trailed mud? I could be sentenced to death!

"I'm just kidding…relax…"

I punched him in the arm, flushing in embarrassment for letting that bother me that much. "Not cool, Sasuke-kun! How about your Mom? Is your Mom going to have me sent to jail for not complimenting her every other—"

The limo slowed, turning around a corner that I realized as the first turn away from school and toward the highway.

"No. If she knows I like you, she'll like you, too. I like her more than Dad, anyway."

A smile rose to my face. AW! Sasuke just said he likes me…and he's a Momma's Boy! I laughed, "And Itachi?"

The car stopped abruptly, just as Sasuke tensed, glaring out the window. "Don't talk to him."

* * *

_**A/N: Review! Sorry, I'm a little late. I kind of got lost for inspiration, but, obviously, I found it! BOOM-POW! (yes, that was the reasoning for the chapter name. LOL)**_

_**~seethroughglass**_

**_(Review, we're almost at 50! And all that other subscribe, alert, and fave stuff...^^)_**


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